CLEVELAND (AP) - A newspaper reports that Cleveland police failed to send hundreds of rape kits, violating Ohio law.
The Plain Dealer reports the police department discovered a kit backlog in 2017 caused by a detective who hadn’t submitted evidence to the county lab on time.
The paper estimates more than 220 kits weren’t properly submitted between 2014 and 2016. Police have not confirmed the number.
Under state law, police departments must submit rape kits for testing within 30 days of identifying a crime report. However, there is no penalty for failing to comply with the law.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center president Sondra Miller says kit backlogs may weaken the trust that assault victims have in law enforcement.
A Cleveland police spokeswoman said the department doesn’t comment on ongoing internal investigations.
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Information from: cleveland.com, http://www.cleveland.com
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