I can hardly find words to express my rage and disbelief about the arrogance of our law enforcement community in failing to process rape kits. Victims have been waiting for an arrest, or results of tests, and none is forthcoming.
How can the state allow this to happen? Where is the uproar from people? Women’s advocates? Our legislators? Who is losing their job over this? Who is being held accountable? Where is the media with all their investigative reporters? Why have the police chiefs and sheriffs not been putting the pressure on the state?
A law was passed in 2015 establishing a task force to make things “better” and to “require law enforcement agencies to submit a request to the state labs within 30 days of receiving new rape kits, if the victim consents.” It did not include a specific requirement to clear out the backlog.
Do we need a law to require state labs to do their jobs? Do we need a law to notify the state labs of another rape kit to be put into storage at the local law enforcement agency for an unknown period of time?
