Will Louisville Conduct National Search for Police Chief? Mayor Won’t Say

It’s been more than two months since former Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel resigned amid concerns about her handling of allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace, but Mayor Craig Greenberg’s office has not confirmed whether it will begin a search for a new permanent leader for the department.

When Gwinn-Villaroel resigned in late June, Greenberg tapped then-Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey to fill her position on an interim basis and announced the city would not be looking for a permanent replacement at that time. Greenberg added that LMPD’s priorities should instead be focused on improving the department’s anti-sexual harassment policies, combating violent crime and negotiating a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice.

But as the weeks go by and there is no permanent plan in sight, some community leaders are losing patience.

“I don’t know what we would be waiting for or (what) we would be waiting for to do this,” said Lyndon Pryor, CEO of the Louisville Urban League. “I’m all for ‘get moving and get it done,’ because I think the sooner we get to permanence, the easier it will be to start doing other things.”

Raoul Cunningham, president of the Louisville branch of the NAACP, said he fears the “cloak of secrecy” behind the last police chief selection process could repeat itself as the community waits for a permanent chief to be chosen.

“Everything is up in the air with the police department, and the mayor has an obligation to provide stability,” Cunningham said. “And if he can’t do that, he has to step down.”

In a statement this week, Greenberg spokesman Kevin Trager said the mayor’s administration “continues to consider all of our options for the future leadership of LMPD.”

Community leaders want more involvement in chief selection process

The last search for a candidate to head the LMPD took place a little over a year ago, and the selection process was shrouded in secrecy and controversy.

Greenberg has faced heavy criticism for his decision not to release the names of the finalists — as other cities do and Louisville has done in the past — and for requiring members of the seven-person advisory panel to sign confidentiality agreements.

“The public was kept completely in the dark,” Cunningham said.

After a search that included 20 candidates and four interviews, Greenberg ultimately selected Gwinn-Villaroel, who was already serving in the role on an interim basis.

At the time, Greenberg defended the secret process and noted that the decision was informed by “a tremendous amount of public input,” including through focus groups and virtual town hall meetings, as well as a virtual survey asking for feedback.

Pryor said that while the police chief position is not elective, it is a public position that ultimately serves the residents of the city.

“It’s a job and a role that should represent the best interests of the community. Because of that, the community should have a voice and decide who that chief is,” Pryor said.

He added that greater public participation means that the candidate who is ultimately selected has a chance of being “significantly more successful” in their role.

Pryor suggested that the selection committee include people who have been affected—even potentially harmed—by local police. Once finalists are chosen, there could also be a public forum where candidates could answer questions from residents in a public setting.

Cunningham said the first step toward a transparent and accountable process should be to announce that such a process will be initiated.

“For the public to have confidence in him and trust his ability to select a qualified police chief, (Greenberg) needs to become transparent and completely open with the public,” Cunningham said.

He also warned that if the leadership selection process remains the same, there is a greater chance of public distrust and ultimate failure.

“If (Greenberg) keeps this a secret, I think the case will be sunk from the start,” Cunningham said.

Leaders say new chief must ‘change culture’ at LMPD

With a declining pool of applicants, a severe officer shortage and several pending lawsuits from officers alleging sexual harassment within the department, the new incoming chief of LMPD has a difficult task ahead of him.

It’s a role Humphrey, who has 18 years of experience with the department, would like to take on once his temporary employment period ends.

“I’m definitely interested in doing this on a permanent basis,” Humphrey told reporters after a recent meeting of the Civilian Review and Accountability Board. “Obviously, there have been some changes over the last few months that I have very limited control over, but I’m excited about the opportunity and I hope it leads to some stability in the department that both officers and the community can have confidence in.”

Pryor and Cunningham said they had no objection to Humphrey being among the candidates for the permanent position, with Pryor adding that a more transparent selection process would work to the interim chief’s advantage.

“It gives him a lot more confidence that he’ll be able to get the community support to go out and do this work if the community is allowed to participate,” Pryor said.

Pryor and Cunningham say they expect the permanent chief to be responsible, honest and willing to work with the public.

“This person must also have the ability to change the organizational culture of the Louisville Police Department,” Cunningham said.

Regardless of who runs for the permanent position, Cunningham said he is interested in seeing action from the Greenberg administration.

“If the mayor wants Paul Humphrey to be the permanent chief, he should appoint him,” Cunningham said. “If the mayor is going to announce a nationwide search, which I think he should, then he needs to announce it and move forward.”

More: Who is Paul Humphrey? What you need to know about the acting chief of LMPD

Contact reporter Rachel Smith at [email protected] or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter.