Inspector General believes chances are 'slim' that he'll remain in LMPD oversight role

LOUISVILLE, Ky., (WDRB) -- Louisville Inspector General Ed Harness described his relationship with police Chief Paul Humphrey as "cold" and said he has heard the chances of his contract being renewed in November are "slim."

The comments came in an interview with WDRB News on Thursday and follow recent remarks from the chief in which he vehemently criticized Harness and the Civilian Review and Accountability Board's findings that an officer violated policy in a fatal shooting.

Harness was approved as the city's first inspector general in Nov. 2021, tasked with investigating allegations of misconduct between LMPD and members of the public.

While the accountability board can make recommendations for change, it doesn't have the ability to impose any discipline.

Most recently, the Office of Inspector General concluded Officer Roberto Cedeno violated policies in the 2023 shooting death of a man, which contradicted LMPD's exoneration of the officer.

Humphrey criticized the OIG findings and objected to the recommendations, saying, "I completely stand by what we detail in our report."

It is the second time this year the chief has harshly criticized the OIG, deeming Harness's January report on a 2022 shooting death "inaccurate" and misleading "crap."

In Thursday's interview, Harness said the chief's responses come off as "defensive," and "when you are the leader of an organization, input should be valued" and looked at as a way to improve the department.

Harness's contract is up in November. The Civilian Review and Accountability Board has voted in favor of his reinforcement and sent a letter to the mayor, he said.

"I've requested to stay," he said. "I'd love to be reappointed so we can continue the work."

In the end, it will be Mayor Craig Greenberg's decision.

When pressed on whether he believed he would be retained, Harness said he's been told by elected leaders in the city the chances are slim.

Harness said he didn't exactly know why that is the prevailing belief and pointed out he has had a good relationship with the mayor's office.

"We've done everything that we are supposed to under the ordinance, and we've done a good job," he said. "I don't think there is any reason I shouldn't be appointed, honestly."

The mayor's office declined to comment.

The 11-member citizen board was a key reform promised by then Mayor Greg Fischer and approved by Metro Council in November 2020 in the months after the Breonna Taylor shooting.

Harness said he has had trouble getting responses to his recommendations from all three of the Louisville police chiefs who have served since he was appointed.

He described his current relationship with Chief Humphrey as "cold."

"There's not a lot of communication back and forth," Harness said. "We would like that to improve."

In a letter to the chief released by Harness, he claimed the department has not responded to multiple policy recommendations and alleged violations.

In addition, Harness said Humphrey "promised" to provide a written protocol or procedure for receiving and responding to the civilian review board in August 2024, but has not done so.

Sgt. Matt Sanders, a spokesman for LMPD, said in a statement that "as part of our commitment to transparency and open communication, it is our practice to engage directly with the OIG before addressing outside inquiries.

"We will share our response with your newsroom once we have completed that communication," he said.

The U.S. Department of Justice's consent decree for LMPD would have required that LMPD respond to OIG recommendations within 45 days.

But the DOJ under the Trump administration has asked that the decree be dismissed by a federal judge. In its place, Louisville Mayor Greenberg said the city will implement its own version of the agreement called "Community Commitment — Louisville's Consent Decree."

Harness said the city's version of the decree "has been watered down a bit" and says police must respond within a "reasonable amount of time."

So far, Harness said he has not been told by police whether the department has adopted any of the recommendations his office has provided, which he said is frustrating.

"I'd like to see a back and forth," he said. "Feedback on why (the recommendations) were adopted or not adopted."

Even without much communication with police, Harness said the OIG has been successful in "lifting the lid off of what's going on with the department so the community has a better understanding of what's taking place."

Ultimately, he said, citizens will hold the department accountable.

The mayor has said Metro government will hire its own third-party entity to monitor the results of the city's consent decree, which Harness noted should help "when you have such divergent opinions on what's taken place on an event.

"The fact that you could have a monitor come in and say 'this was right, this wasn't right' will aid greatly in the improvement of the department," Harness said.

This story may be updated.