New Subpoena System In Budget

Police officers and court officials are preparing for an overhaul of Jefferson County's subpoena system.The mayor’s proposed capital budget includes $400 thousand in federal stimulus funds for an e-subpoena system.The system would notify police officers when they need to appear in court. Louisville Metro Police Lieutenant Colonel Troy Riggs says the system will increase efficiency, but it may take time to install."We're still doing the study on exactly what needs that we have as a police department, but remember we also have other partners: Commonwealth Attorney, County Attorney, administrative office of the courts and the list goes on and on," says Riggs.The action follows a Courier-Journal report that hundreds of criminal cases have been dismissed because officers failed to appear in court to testify, in many instances because of the slow subpoena system.Riggs says the new system will help reduce those absences.