For the first time, the Daviess County Attorney’s office will soon employ a county detective, a role established by state law but never previously used.
County Attorney John Burlew said funding was secured earlier this year, and the office’s first detective will begin work on October 1 in the criminal division.
Under Kentucky Revised Statute 69.360, county detectives have the power of arrest within the county and the authority to execute process statewide. They also assist the county attorney in preparing criminal cases by investigating evidence and facts. Detectives appointed after 2019 must be certified police officers.
Burlew said the new hire, a former detective who is certified through the police academy, will primarily serve as a liaison between the attorney’s office and local law enforcement agencies. He will also help manage the growing volume of evidence that must be collected and shared with defense attorneys.
“We’re very busy here, and one of the things that our staff has to do is collect evidence and put it in a format that we can transmit to defense attorneys for discovery. That’s been problematic,” Burlew said.
Burlew said the detective will also investigate citizen-filed criminal complaints, many of which involve issues such as harassment, vandalism, or disputes between neighbors. Burlew said having a trained investigator will allow the office to evaluate complaints faster, resolve smaller disputes through mediation or correspondence, and free up time to focus on serious cases.
“It’s not going to be just criminal intakes. We have very serious cases going on in this office — child abuse, sexual child abuse — and I need him involved in those too,” Burlew said.
Though the position will begin as part-time, Burlew said it could expand in the future. The funding comes from state allocations, not county or city dollars, and was approved through the Prosecutor Advisory Council in Frankfort.
Burlew noted that counties such as Warren, McCracken, Jefferson, and Fayette already employ individuals in similar positions. He said Daviess County’s addition brings the office in line with others of similar size.
The new detective will be introduced publicly after his official start date.
