Today, Mayor Greenburg announced Police Chief Gwinn-Villaroel was placed on administrative leave due to her mishandling of an internal sexual harassment case within the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD).  

While any action to address poor management and ongoing corruption within LMPD is a good thing, this is yet another example of how LMPD continues to fail the public and, apparently, their officers. LMPD continues to conduct itself poorly by not following rules, regulations, policy, and the law. They have violated Civil Rights, taken the lives of citizens, and cost the city millions of taxpayer dollars in lost or settled court cases.

Still, they are continuously rewarded with larger budgets and less accountability. 

If the Mayor wants institutional change in LMPD, he should work to undo the recently signed police contract, take seriously Councilwoman Shameka Parish Wright’s people’s consent decree resolution, and ensure that every part of it is institutionalized. He should treat LMPD like any other professional organization and fire incompetent people. But most importantly, he should ensure that this community–those most impacted–has a seat and a voice at the decision-making table when it comes to any and everything concerning this department from this point forward.

About the Louisville Urban League
The Louisville Urban League assists African Americans and those at the margins in attaining social and economic equality and stability through direct services and advocacy. For more information, go to lul.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter  (@louisvilleUL), or Instagram (@louisville_ul).