Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed Michael Dossett as the next director of Kentucky Emergency Management.
Dossett takes over after former director John Heltzel resigned last summer following a scathing audit that found the agency wasted taxpayer money and intimidated employees.
Dossett is a former assistant police chief for the Louisville Metro Police Department and a former deputy commissioner for the Department of Juvenile Justice. He was a regional response manager with Kentucky Emergency Management when he retired in 2013.
Kentucky Emergency Management coordinates the state response to disasters like tornadoes and floods. The agency is part of the Department of Military Affairs under the leadership of the adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini.