Mayor Craig Greenberg announces agreement reached between LMPD and Office of Inspector General

Mayor Craig Greenberg announces agreement reached between LMPD and Office of Inspector General
Agreement will enhance police oversight, make body camera video available to civilian investigators

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 14, 2023) – Moving quickly to usher in a new era of transparency and accountability in Louisville, Mayor Craig Greenberg announced on Tuesday a milestone agreement between the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and Louisville Office of Inspector General (OIG).

This agreement will enhance the independent investigation of civilian complaints against the department, addressing the Department of Justice’s recommendation in its recently released report of its investigation of LMPD and Louisville Metro Government. The negotiations between LMPD and the OIG, which were jumpstarted by Mayor Greenberg’s administration shortly after taking office, were successfully concluded within two days of the DOJ investigation report’s release.

“Today we are taking an enormous step forward in transparency and accountability for policing in Louisville,” said Mayor Greenberg. “We are taking action; we are not waiting. Since day one, our administration has been working to facilitate this agreement between LMPD and the OIG. We will continue to deliver reforms and improvements that strengthen the trust between our community and our police officers. We will continue to move our city in a new direction.”

The agreement, outlined in a memorandum of understanding between LMPD and the OIG, aids investigations by the OIG on behalf of the Civilian Review and Accountability Board in two key respects.

The first is the Chief of LMPD will require officers to attend witness interviews requested by the OIG. The OIG, in turn, will make sure the interview process complies with state law and affords due process to officers. The previous lack of clarity impeded officer cooperation and participation in interviews.

Secondly, the OIG will now receive direct access to body-worn camera footage related to the incidents under investigation. This direct access will allow the OIG to investigate complaints made by community members and is also intended to address concerns about any delay or manipulation of footage.

“The officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department want to serve the community and help create a safer Louisville,” said LMPD Interim Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel. “To do that requires we rebuild trust between the department and the community we serve, and we are absolutely committed to doing what needs to be done to achieve this goal.”

The Office of Inspector General and Civilian Review and Accountability Board were established in 2020 to increase transparency and oversight of LMPD. Edward Harness was appointed as the city’s first Inspector General. The office is an independent agency that investigates complaints against and reviews the practices and policies of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

“I’d like to thank Mayor Greenberg, Chief of Staff Kaplan, Deputy Mayor Dorsey, Interim Chief Gwinn-Villaroel, Chair Watson, Member Green, Dr. Whetstone, & Lisa Jarrett for the work in reaching this agreement,” said Inspector General Ed Harness. “This agreement accomplishes two of the OIG’s main goals: Compelled cooperation of LMPD employees, while preserving their procedural due process rights, and direct access to body camera videos .With this agreement the OIG can now move forward and complete its duly authorized investigations. In light of the recent release of the DOJ findings, this is a significant step forward. We look forward to continued work and cooperation with LMPD.”

This agreement also directly addresses one of the remedial measures suggested by the DOJ in their recently released investigation into LMPD. Specifically, Remedial Measure 31 recommends:

Improve Civilian Oversight. To help build trust with the community, LMPD should cooperate with the Inspector General and Civilian Review and Accountability Board to promote robust and even-handed civilian oversight. It should also prioritize transparency in its internal affairs practices, including reporting to the public about the nature of complaints received, misconduct findings made, and discipline imposed.

Several members of Louisville Metro Council had been advocating for this agreement to be reached so the OIG could begin fulfilling the office’s intended purpose of oversite and review.

“I am pleased there is now an agreement in place that allows the civilian police review ordinance to function as intended,” said Metro Councilwoman Paula McCraney. “I look forward to continued cooperation between LMPD and the OIG to ensure that the public has complete confidence in their civilian review process. I am proud to have worked on this important policy and expect it to bring some needed change to our community.”

The agreement, and the changes it brings about, are effective immediately. Additionally, Chief Gwinn-Villaroel is amending LMPD’s policies and procedures to conform with the MOU.