Idaho sheriff against rape-kit law, saying most reported sexual assaults 'are actually consensual sex'

BOISE, Idaho - An Idaho sheriff says the Legislature shouldn't have gotten involved in creating a statewide system for collecting and tracking rape kits because many rape accusations are false.

Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland made the comments to Idaho Falls TV station KIDK on Monday before lawmakers unanimously approved the new system and sent the measure to the governor.

The bill would require medical clinics to use rape kits to collect forensic evidence after a suspected sexual assault. The clinics would then have to send the evidence for DNA testing, unless the victim requests otherwise or law enforcement agencies get prosecutors' approval to not test the kits.

Rowland says legislators should let law officers decide which rape kits need testing.

He says: "The majority of our rapes — not to say that we don't have rapes, we do — but the majority of our rapes that are called in, are actually consensual sex."

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has not said whether he'll sign the bill.