Skip to Main Content

Kentucky Tonight: State of Unrest

This special program examines the demands for racial justice and policing reforms after the officer-involved deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor of Louisville. Host Renee Shaw and guests discuss how to move beyond the protests to meaningful change.
Season 27 Episode 25 Length 56:33 Premiere: 06/15/20

About

Kentucky Tonight

KET’s Kentucky Tonight, hosted by Renee Shaw, brings together an expert panel for in-depth analysis on major issues facing the Commonwealth.

This weekly program features comprehensive discussions with lawmakers, stakeholders and policy leaders that are moderated by award-winning journalist Renee Shaw. Often aired live, viewers are encouraged to participate by submitting questions real-time via email, Twitter or KET’s online form.
For nearly three decades, Kentucky Tonight has been a source for complete and balanced coverage of the most urgent and important public affairs developments in the state of Kentucky.

Viewers with questions and comments may send e-mail to kytonight@ket.org or use the contact form. All messages should include first and last name and town or county. The phone number for viewer calls during the program is 1-800-494-7605.

After broadcast, Kentucky Tonight programs are available on KET.org and via podcast (iTunes or Android). Files are normally accessible within 24 hours after the television broadcast.

Kentucky Tonight was awarded a 1997 regional Emmy by the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The series was also honored with a 1995 regional Emmy nomination.

To purchase a DVD:
Call 1-800-945-9167 or e-mail shop@ket.org.


Tune-In

KET Mondays • 8/7 pm

Stream

Watch on KET’s website anytime or through the PBS Video App.

Podcast

The Kentucky Tonight podcast features each episode’s audio for listening.


Renee Shaw is Moderator and Director of Public Affairs for Kentucky Educational Television, currently serving as host of KET’s Kentucky Tonight, Connections, election coverage, Legislative Update and KET Forums.

Since joining KET in 1997, Shaw has produced numerous KET public affairs series and specials, including KET’s nationally recognized legislative coverage. Under her leadership, KET has expanded its portfolio of public affairs content to include Kentucky Supreme Court coverage, town hall-style forums, and multi-platform program initiatives around issues such as opioid addiction and youth mental health.  

As an award-winning journalist, Shaw has earned top awards from the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, earning two regional Emmy awards, and an award from the Kentucky Associated Press for political coverage of the state legislature. She was inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2017. She has been honored by the AKA Beta Gamma Omega Chapter with a Coretta Scott King Spirit of Ivy Award; earned the state media award from the Kentucky Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2019; named a Charles W. Anderson Laureate by the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet in 2019 honoring her significant contributions in addressing socio-economic issues; earned the Anthony Lewis Media Award from the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy for her work on criminal justice reform in 2014; and, in 2015, received the Green Dot Award for her coverage of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.  

In 2018, KET earned a national media award from Mental Health America for its multi-dimensional content on the opioid epidemic shepherded by Shaw. That same year, she co-produced and moderated a six-part series on youth mental health that was awarded first place in educational content by NETA, the National Educational Telecommunications Association. In 2019, Shaw was recognized by The Kentucky Gazette as one of the 50 most notable women in Kentucky politics and government. In addition, Renee was awarded the Charles W. Anderson Laureate Award by the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in addressing socio-economic issues.

Host Renee Shaw smiling in a green dress with a KET set behind her.

Debating Next Steps to Address Racial Inequities in Policing and Beyond

Even as demonstrations over police brutality against African Americans continue across the nation, many activists, civic leaders, and politicians are seeking ways to move from protests to actions that will promote systemic change in American race relations.

“For far too long, we’ve allowed those in power and the system itself to really do what it does without pushing back on it,” says Anthony Smith, executive director of Cities United, a national network focused on eliminating violence related to African American men and boys. “I think the moment now is different... There’s more people who are saying that they see the injustice and they’re fighting against it.”

Deaths due to lethal use of force by police are not new. But incidents that once may have been largely out of sight to the general public now gain worldwide attention thanks to cellphone video recordings that go viral on social media.

“Those things have always occurred,” says Keturah Herron, a member of Black Lives Matter and a policy strategist with the ACLU of Kentucky. “Now we as a nation are starting to see these things for ourselves and so people are just sick and tired of it.”

According to a recent Washington Post investigation, police shoot and kill about 1,000 Americans every year. African Americans account for 23 percent of those killed by police, even though they comprise only 13 percent of the population. A study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine reports that African Americans have a fatality rate 2.8 times higher than whites when it comes to lethal use of force by police.

But not all deaths result from the discharge of a police firearm. The sight of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nearly nine minutes outraged many Americans, including those in law enforcement.

“It runs counter to everything that any decent, law-abiding human, not to mention law enforcement officer, stands for,” says retired Louisville Metro Police Department Sergeant Mike Shugart. “The moment that officer did that and the officers around him just stood by, they were no longer officers. They became criminals.”

Challenges Faced by Police

Shugart contends many police officers are poorly paid for the work they are asked to do, which he says includes enforcing bad public policy that has been in place for decades. For example, he says officers are often called to deal with people suffering from a mental health issue that are a threat to themselves or others.

“That role should be left to a psychiatrist or a social worker, somebody with expertise in that area,” says Shugart, “and not just another one-week training that you foist upon the police and then expect them to execute flawlessly.”

Russell M. Coleman, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, says the commonwealth spends less per capita on law enforcement than any state in the union. He says cutting police funding will result in less training for officers and fewer ancillary programs associated with police departments that are designed to improve community safety.

“This notion of defunding or eliminating police, I can’t think of a more dangerous, risky concept to the very neighborhoods we’re seeking to protect,” says Coleman.

“You cannot address root cause, you cannot get into some of these deep-seated issues if you don’t have the basics of a safe neighborhood,” he says.

Coleman contends it is possible to support law enforcement and the Black Lives Matter movement, and that the conversation between the two sides need not be adversarial. He says he understands the concerns of minority groups who say they experience over-enforcement by police in their neighborhoods yet still feel less protected.

“They feel that law enforcement can be too robust,” says Coleman. “It’s very much a cudgel and not a scalpel.”

Louisville has seen a 120 percent increase in shootings and a 33 percent increase in homicides over this time last year, according to Coleman. He says many of those incidents occur in minority neighborhoods.

Herron says that’s not surprising. She says an uptick in crime is common in communities where people struggle under a lack of access to jobs, grocery stores, health care, and quality education. Instead of putting armed resource officers in public schools, which she says can leave children of color feeling threatened, Herron says state lawmakers should allocate that money to building better schools in African American neighborhoods.

Another challenge for Louisville, says Coleman, is that many police officers don’t live in the neighborhoods they police. That lack of personal contact can lead residents, especially younger ones, to have negative views of police. He says officers should be incentivized to live in the districts to which they are assigned. He also wants the city to launch a “focused deterrence effort” that would target police activities to the 1 percent of people who commit the most offenses.

Options for More Accountability

Herron puts police accountability at the top of her reform agenda. She says officers with a record of misconduct should not be allowed to keep their jobs.

“When we do identify those officers who are doing things that they should not be doing, how do we make sure that we’re able to get rid of them?” says Herron.

But under Kentucky law, police who leave departments under a cloud of misconduct or possible indictment are able to keep their state professional standards certification, according to Louisville Metro Council President David James, who served on the city’s police force for 30 years. That means those officers can still find work in another department.

“That happens quite regularly, unfortunately,” says James.

He calls for a change to that law, and for creating an inspector general as well as a civilian review board empowered to investigate police misconduct and hold officers accountable. He also wants officers involved in critical incidents to undergo drug tests, and a change to ordinances that allow police departments to delay releasing body camera video and 911 recordings.

Last week the Louisville Metro Council enacted a ban on no-knock warrants. The new law named for Breonna Taylor, the former Louisville EMT killed by police while executing a no-knock warrant in March, also requires officers to wear and activate body cameras during the execution of a warrant. No body camera video was recorded during the raid in which Taylor was killed.

“That’s a first step, that’s not the only step,” says Trinidad Jackson, violence prevention activist and researcher at the University of Louisville School of Public Health. “We must dissect the entire way that the warrant system works.”

Jackson calls for more research on how warrants are granted, the proportion of warrants taken out against African Americans versus people of other races, and the destruction of property and the loss of life that occurs during the execution of warrants. He says that data can inform better policing techniques going forward.

Expanding Beyond Policing

But James says the focus on police is not enough. He says the entire justice system has “major flaws.”

“I don’t think that we should only look at what the police are doing, but we should also be looking at what the criminal justice system is doing: the courts, the prosecutors, and the defense attorneys,” says James.

Smith says the scope of reform needs to be wider still, and include all the ways that communities can be made safe.

“It’s not about jails, detention centers, and police,” says Smith. “It really is around how do we support affordable housing, how do we make sure all of our kids get quality education, how do we make sure people have a pathway to employment with a livable wage.”

Smith says Metro Louisville could fully fund the city’s Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, implement intervention programs designed to prevent violence before it erupts, and support grass-roots organizations that already do good work in struggling communities.

Academia can also help, says University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi. First she says higher education must acknowledge its own checkered past on issues of racism.

“One of the frustrations for those of us in higher [education] is that sometimes our talk is much more impressive than our actions,” says Bendapudi. “There’s so much more that we can and must do as institutions of higher education.”

She says colleges and universities can better explain terms like white privilege and Black Lives Matter, which she says some people misinterpret as racist. Schools can also do more to educate students and the public about the root causes of structural inequities that contribute to systemic racism. Finally, she says it is not enough for a person to proclaim that he or she is not racist. She says people must be anti-racist.

“Call out racism,” she says. “Look at every single action that you take and say, ‘What can I do to make things better?’”

From his perspective, Jackson hopes more white Americans will become vocal in calling for racial equity and justice.

“I’m looking for that energy in the streets to translate into daily living activities,” says Jackson. “I want to see [white people] voting for and engaging in policy that is really centered around the liberation of some of our most structurally marginalized racial and ethnic demographics.”

Coleman contends these issues aren’t just of concern to people in Louisville and Lexington, where the largest protests have occurred in the state. He says these topics should be important to all Kentuckians.

“The need to have these conversations exists across our commonwealth,” says Coleman. “For folks sitting in rural areas outside of Louisville, please engage.”

Sponsored by:

Kentucky LifeKentucky Life

Season 27 Episodes

The Economic State of the State

S27 E44 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 12/14/20

Reopening Kentucky Classrooms During a Coronavirus Surge

S27 E43 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 12/07/20

COVID-19's Impact on Kentucky's Health Care System

S27 E42 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 11/23/20

Understanding the Grand Jury System

S27 E41 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 11/16/20

Analyzing the 2020 Election and State Politics

S27 E40 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 11/09/20

2020 Election Eve Preview

S27 E39 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 11/02/20

Kentucky's U.S. Senate Race

S27 E38 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 10/26/20

Legislative Leaders Preview the 2020 General Election

S27 E37 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 10/19/20

Issues Affecting Kentucky's 4th Congressional District

S27 E36 Length 26:33 Premiere Date 10/12/20

Issues Affecting Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District

S27 E35 Length 26:31 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Previewing the 2020 General Election

S27 E34 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 09/28/20

Special Education, Student Mental Health and COVID-19

S27 E33 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 09/21/20

Challenges and Benefits of Remote Learning in Kentucky

S27 E32 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 09/14/20

The Impact of COVID-19 on Kentucky's Tourism Industry

S27 E31 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 08/03/20

COVID-19's Impact on Higher Education in Kentucky

S27 E30 Length 56:35 Premiere Date 07/27/20

Reopening Kentucky's Schools

S27 E29 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 07/20/20

Racial Disparities in K-12 Public Education

S27 E28 Length 56:27 Premiere Date 07/13/20

Police Reform Issues

S27 E27 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 06/29/20

Previewing the 2020 Primary Election

S27 E26 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/22/20

Kentucky Tonight: State of Unrest

S27 E25 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/15/20

2020 Primary Election Candidates, Part Four

S27 E24 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/08/20

2020 Primary Election Candidates, Part Three

S27 E22 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/01/20

2020 Primary Election Candidates, Part Two

S27 E21 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/01/20

2020 Primary Election Candidates, Part One

S27 E20 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 05/27/20

Reopening Rules for Restaurants and Retail

S27 E19 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 05/18/20

Debating Steps to Restart Kentucky's Economy

S27 E18 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 05/11/20

COVID-19's Impact on Primary Voting and Local Governments

S27 E17 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 05/04/20

Reopening Kentucky's Economy

S27 E16 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 04/27/20

Wrapping Up the General Assembly and a COVID-19 Update

S27 E14 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 04/13/20

Health, Legal and Voting Issues During the COVID-19 Outbreak

S27 E12 Length 57:23 Premiere Date 03/30/20

Kentucky's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

S27 E11 Length 58:03 Premiere Date 03/23/20

Finding Agreement on State Budget Issues

S27 E10 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 03/16/20

Election and Voting Legislation

S27 E9 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 03/09/20

State Budget

S27 E8 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 02/24/20

Debating State Budget Priorities

S27 E7 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 02/17/20

Medical Marijuana

S27 E6 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 02/10/20

Sports Betting Legislation

S27 E5 Length 56:36 Premiere Date 02/03/20

2020 Kentucky General Assembly

S27 E2 Length 56:37 Premiere Date 01/13/20

2020 Kentucky General Assembly

S27 E1 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 01/06/20

See All Episodes

caret down

TV Schedules

Jump to Recent Airdates

Upcoming

Kentucky Tonight - S30 E33

  • Monday December 4, 2023 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday December 4, 2023 7:00 pm CT on KET
  • Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday December 6, 2023 12:00 am CT on KET

2024 Legislative Preview - S30 E32

Renee Shaw hosts a 2024 legislative preview. Scheduled guests: State Senator Julie Raque Adams (R-Louisville), Senate Majority Caucus Chair; State Representative Suzanne Miles (R-Owensboro), House Majority Caucus Chair; State Senator Robin Webb (D-Grayson); and State Representative Lindsey Burke (D-Lexington). A 2023 KET production.

  • Tuesday December 5, 2023 6:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 5, 2023 5:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 5, 2023 2:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 5, 2023 11:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 5, 2023 10:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday December 6, 2023 6:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:00 pm CT on KETKY

Kentucky Tonight - S30 E34

  • Monday December 18, 2023 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday December 18, 2023 7:00 pm CT on KET
  • Tuesday December 19, 2023 6:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 19, 2023 5:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 19, 2023 2:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 19, 2023 1:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 19, 2023 11:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday December 19, 2023 10:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday December 20, 2023 2:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday December 20, 2023 1:00 am CT on KET
  • Wednesday December 20, 2023 6:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Wednesday December 20, 2023 5:00 pm CT on KETKY
Jump to Upcoming Airdates

Recent

2024 Legislative Preview - S30 E32

  • Wednesday November 22, 2023 6:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Wednesday November 22, 2023 5:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday November 22, 2023 1:36 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday November 22, 2023 12:36 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday November 21, 2023 11:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 21, 2023 10:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 21, 2023 2:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 21, 2023 1:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 21, 2023 6:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 21, 2023 5:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday November 20, 2023 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday November 20, 2023 7:00 pm CT on KET

2023 Election - S30 E31

  • Tuesday November 7, 2023 2:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 7, 2023 1:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 7, 2023 6:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday November 7, 2023 5:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday November 6, 2023 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday November 6, 2023 7:00 pm CT on KET

Candidate Conversations: Lieutenant Governor - S30 E30

  • Wednesday November 1, 2023 6:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Wednesday November 1, 2023 5:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday November 1, 2023 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday November 1, 2023 12:00 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday October 31, 2023 11:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday October 31, 2023 10:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday October 31, 2023 2:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday October 31, 2023 1:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday October 31, 2023 6:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday October 31, 2023 5:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday October 30, 2023 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday October 30, 2023 7:00 pm CT on KET
Top

Contact


Explore KET