Empowering People.
Changing Lives.
1535 W Broadway
Louisville, KY 40203
(502) 585-4622
www.lul.org
[email protected]
May 27, 2020
Mayor Greg Fischer
527 West Jefferson Street
4th Floor
Louisville, KY 40202
Ryan Nichols, President
River City FOP Lodge 614
6204 Price Lane Road
Louisville, KY 40229
Dear Mayor Fisher and Mr. Nichols:
Policing is a difficult profession that requires officers be held to the highest standard. We acknowledge and applaud the new policy requiring activated body cameras during service of search warrants and more extensive review for the issuance of no knock warrants, but we must ensure these policies are followed. We also know there is still more that can be done.
We believe that one of the greatest obstacles to reforming our police department is the leadership of the Fraternal Order of Police Union. We appreciate their support when officers are right, but we have heard nothing from them when officers are wrong. Thus, they have lost all credibility in our community. We stand with the community and with the good officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department. However, we will no longer tolerate the bad behavior of rogue officers, a union that works to protect them, or a culture and practice of policing that enables them.
LMPD officers continue to be embroiled in numerous lawsuits, controversies and investigations related to unethical and illegal actions taken under the color of authority. A long and often completely avoidable history of violence by police officers has killed too many civilians, created a destructive level of mistrust in the community, and is now, again, causing a rising tide of anger, frustration, and despair – particularly among Black people.
It is our hope to channel the collective anger surrounding the death of Breonna Taylor and the unlawful imprisonment of Kenneth Walker into effective policy solutions that will not only make life safer for residents, but will restore confidence in police, and bring hope to hopeless families and communities devastated by these egregious acts of violence. To that end, we expect our officers to be held accountable, just as we would expect any other person in Louisville to be held accountable for violation of the law. No one should be above the law.
Police Representation
The Louisville Metro Police Department is 12.5% African American, which is 146 officers of the total department strength of 1,168. One hundred and twenty-two are males and 24 are females. We have heard from enough Black officers in the Louisville Metro Police Department to know that they do not feel valued or fully considered for promotion. This must change. We also do not want them to be retaliated against, if, and, when, their challenges are made public.
- We expect an immediate focus on increasing the number of African American male and female officers. We also want to see the number of officers of color and female officers increase, regardless of race or nationality.
- We want a Black Police Officers Union or Association to be created. This group will focus on the recruitment, retention, and success of Black police officers. This is necessary because our Black officers are not exempt from harassment or discrimination when they are out of uniform and sometimes even in uniform in the Department.
- We would like for the F.O.P. to disclose the amount of money in its total annual budget and the amount that is spent on minority affairs issues to include, but not be limited to, recruitment, hiring and promotion of African American and minority police officers.
- We want to know the total budget for the police department and how much of that annual budget is spent on minority affairs issues to include, but not be limited to, recruitment, hiring and promotion of African American and minority police officers. Also, we must know the amount of money spent on building and improving cultural competency and police community relations.
- We want a police force that is representative of the entire community, and we want evidence of investments made that will move us toward that goal.
Leadership, Culture, and Practice
- We want an interim Chief of Police who is skilled in running and turning around a police department. This individual must possess best-in-class leadership skills and the ability to engage, inspire confidence, and retain officers across the city. We want that Chief to have access to any and all resources needed to achieve success, including but not limited to, an independent and neutral analysis comparing best practices across the country.
- We do not support any search being led by the Southern Police Institute. It is time for fresh eyes and fresh ideas.
- We expect the search and selection of the next Police Chief to be nationwide, transparent, and involve community stakeholders.
- We want the next Police Chief to be required to have a focus on building and improving community police relations. This is not a “police and community” issue, but an issue of police culture, policy and practice that they must address. Community members can and should take part in establishing new norms, but not under the false perception that community is somehow part of the problem.
Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker
- We want the immediate end to the issuance and execution of no knock warrants except in the circumstance of kidnapping, murder or similar exigent circumstance, to be defined and outlined in police policy.
- We expect any ongoing investigation to consider closely the information contained in the affidavit relied upon in the issuance of the search warrant for Breonna Taylor and her home. We expect to be informed of the timeline of the information and of the ripeness or staleness of the information to be considered, investigated and reported to the community.
- We expect the officer who signed the affidavit for the search warrant to be fired and prosecuted, if it is proven that he used stale or false information to obtain the warrant.
- We expect the officer or officers who discharged their weapon or weapons with wanton disregard for human life to be fired and prosecuted.
- We expect to be informed in writing on the policy as to the number of officers needed to be present to execute a no knock search warrant and whether or not the officers were in compliance with said policy or guidelines.
- We also expect to be informed in writing as to why SWAT did not execute the search warrant.
- We expect the River City Fraternal Order of Police Union to apologize for failing to represent all officers’ interests effectively, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation; for failing to acknowledge that sworn officers, represented by the Union, were allowed to sexually assault children in our community; for the death of Breonna Taylor; and the unlawful imprisonment of Kenneth Walker.
- We wish we had the power to make you see us as human beings, but short of that, we will use the power we have to force you to treat us as such.
- The men and women who serve and protect our community deserve accountable, transparent leadership that can be trusted to follow strict ethical rules, laws and policies and to put public safety ahead of destructive behavior and attitudes. Failure to act quickly threatens the safety and well-being of our officers and the city.
We know that you will hear from other organizations on this matter. Please know that we are aligned and will stand with anyone seeking justice. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Sadiqa N. Reynolds
Louisville Urban League
Timothy Findley, Jr.
Kingdom Fellowship Christian Life Center
Rev. Damian Thompson
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Eric French, Sr.
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Gerald J. Joiner
Zion Baptist Church
Savvy Shabazz
All of Us or None Louisville
Dr. Ricky L. Jones
Professor, Radio Host, Columnist
Dave W. Christopher
AMPED
Dr. Yvonne Austin
Louisville Urban League Guild
Dr. Billie Castle
Louisville Urban League Young Professionals
Rev. David Snardon
Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church
Dr. Walter Malone
Canaan Christian Church
Carla F. Wallace
Leadership Team, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)
Charles W. Anderson, Jr. Bar Association
Rev. Erich V. Shumake
Kentucky Annual Conference
AMEZ Church
Dr. F. Bruce Williams
Bates Memorial Baptist Church
Raoul Cunningham
Louisville Branch NAACP
Gary Eley
100 Black Men of Louisville
Rev. Dr. Jamesetta Ferguson
St. Peters United Church of Louisville
Johnetta Roberts
MOLO Village CDC
Dr. Daniel Corrie Shull
Burnett Avenue Baptist Church
Kathleen Parks
County Commissioner District C & President of National Action Network, Lou Metro Kentucky State Chapter
Lettie Johnson, CEO/Founder
Gifted By Design Leadership and Consulting, LLC
Cecil M. Brookins, President
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Lambda Chapter
Sonja Grey
ECHO (Exploited Children’s Help Organization)
Tim Barnett
Jesse E. Barnett Jr. Enrichment Center
Rev. Kent Gilbert
Union Church, Berea
Rev. Rachael Small-Stokes
United Church of Christ, Louisville
Cc:
Councilman David James, President of the Louisville Metro Council
Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League
