Louisville community leaders calling for more transparency after LMPD police chief suspended
After the police chief was put on paid administrative leave some city leaders are asking for more transparency from LMPD’s leadership and metro government.
By DeAndria Turner
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LOUISVILLE (WLKY) — After the police chief was put on paid administrative leave some city leaders are asking for more transparency from LMPD’s leadership and metro government.
“If at a macro level, bad things are continuing to happen and people are still being disenfranchised, people are still being harmed, that’s a problem,” said Urban League CEO Lydon Pryer.
Since 2020, there have been six LMPD chiefs. Local leaders like Pastor Tim Findley and Urban League CEO Lydon Pryer say this is another instance that doesn’t build trust within the community.
“Now, here we are and I think we’ve come to the same inevitable point that we keep arriving at and that is not addressing the real elephant in the room: culture, transparency, and seemingly cover-ups,” said Pastor Tim Findley.
They both said there should be more community involvement when it comes to choosing the police chief.
“I hope that it speaks to the need for stronger community input and stronger accountability,” said Pryor.
“If we’re in a consent decree and we’re still seeing this happen, how can the community have trust,” said Findley.
In a report the DOJ released last March, investigators said LMPD fails to adequately investigate officers accused of sexual misconduct. City officials and DOJ lawyers are still negotiating the terms of a consent decree. Pryor said he hopes this strengthens what the DOJ does.
“If anything, it says that Louisville needs some stronger guidance on what it’s doing here,” said Pryor.
While community leaders want more accountability, one community member we talked to said she needs more grace.
“I’d just like to see her get a fair break,” said Vicky Kirk.
Even with differences of opinion, each says they want more community involvement.
“I think we should have more say. I don’t think the mayor really thinks about us,” said Kirk.
“In a city like Louisville with our context, what we’ve been through in the last four years, we can’t afford to keep getting this wrong,” said Findley.
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