LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The new chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department knew she wanted a career in law enforcement by the time she went into kindergarten.

Now, Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel is tasked with leading a department under federal review and hundreds of officers short.

Mayor Craig Greenberg officially removed the interim tag from Gwinn-Villaroel when he named her the new permanent chief of LMPD on July 20.

"I remain focused on my top priorities: addressing violent crime, rebuilding community trust and establishing clear guidelines on how we police," Gwinn-Villaroel said at Greenberg's announcement last week, adding that recruiting and retaining officers are "always a front of mine."  

She joined the department in 2021 as deputy chief after working for the Atlanta Police Department for more than 20 years. She took the place of former Chief Erika Shields, who resigned when Greenberg was sworn in as mayor in January. 

During her 24 years on the Atlanta Police force, Gwinn-Villaroel saw it all. In fact, television viewers saw her too when she appeared in an episode of "COPS."

She could be considered a "cop's cop." She said that includes doing it the right way, when the cameras aren't rolling.

Gwinn-Villaroel said Wednesday she believes she's the right person for the job because of her "servant's heart." 

"With that, serving the community, embracing the community, actually policing in a way that we are seeing humanity in everybody that we encounter, and the compassion, I'm right for this job at this time," she said. "Because now, my officers truly see that they have a leader who embodies that, who promotes that, and who requires that even from them."

For Gwinn-Villaroel, its about more than caring for the community. She said it means caring for each and every member of LMPD.

"I wanna know who you are, who is serving the community," she said. "I wanna know are you married, or do you have a kid, or do you have a goldfish?"

She wants the same involvement from everyone at LMPD, especially those in leadership positions. 

Following Greenberg's announcement that Gwinn-Villaroel would lead the department, the president of the local Fraternal Order of Police, Ryan Nichols, said she showed the leadership the department needs during the Old National Bank shooting on April 10.

"Our department wants strong leadership," said Gwinn-Villaroel.

But it's not strong from behind a desk. That's why she said the FOP supported her selection as chief.

"The reason why I have their support, because I'm present. I go to them, I have conversations, I'm accessible to my rank and file," she said. "It's not about rank, it's about the boots on the ground, who is doing the work every day. So they have that chief who they know will hold them accountable, but at the same time love them and embrace them."

Gwinn-Villaroel said she wanted to be those boots on the ground since she was watching TV as a 5-year-old.

"Growing up with Officer Friendly, being exposed to officers coming into the schools and actually embracing and teaching us and it just grew the love that I have in order to police and I knew that that's what I wanted to do, to protect and to serve," she said. "And one of the shows that I watched, that just grabbed my attention, that was 'The Lone Ranger.' I knew, watching that show at five, I wanted to help somebody. So I sit here today, 26 years later, actually answered the call."

But she's taking over a department under a consent decree from the U.S. Department of Justice after it found dozens of remedial measures needed regarding LMPD's use of force, search warrants and more. The department's scathing report, released in March, rebuked LMPD's actions over the last several years. 

Federal investigators believe LMPD and Metro Government engaged in practices that violated the Constitution and federal law. 

Gwinn-Villaroel and other local officials will work with the Justice Department to negotiate terms of a court-monitored consent decree to be filed in federal court.

It could be five or more years of federal scrutiny for the department.

"Our job is to make sure that we continue every day to police in a constitutional way, and knowing our job, knowing what we can and cannot do and actually being able to empower the citizens to understand their rights, that is our job, and to protect and to serve," said Gwinn-Villaroel. "I see it as an opportunity, opportunity to have more training, opportunity to have more equipment, opportunity to actually push us as a department to another level of greatness."

Achieving that greatness will take more manpower. If LMPD's new leader could snap her fingers and make one immediate change, she said it would be filling the nearly 300 officer openings the department currently has. But, in the current climate, her job will be to figure out how to convince recruits to join the force and veterans to stay. One way she plans to do that is by asking them to understand their "why" for joining the department.

"We've had law enforcement individuals who have eroded and tarnished the badge, but don't you forget your why. As to why you are here every day, serving this great city, and serving the great citizens of Louisville, and if we can continue to keep messaging that, that you are needed, you are wanted by so many, and that they're able to see the good work that we're doing every day," she said.

That work includes reaching kids before it's too late. Gwinn-Villaroel is passionate about gang resistant education and training, such as the department's new Gang Resistant Education and Training, or GREAT, Program, which includes 26 trained LMPD officers.

"Those officers are able to go into our schools, between the ages of 8 and 14, and have that conversation with our most valuable gift, our children," she said. "Educating them on how to deal with bullying, educating them on how to resist criminal activity."

When she's not a woman in uniform, Louisville's new police chief is a woman of the cloth.

Now, Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel is tasked with leading a department under federal review and hundreds of officers short.

"I'm fortunate to be able to preach the gospel and that I'm being used by my God as a vessel," said Gwinn-Villaroel.

As she tries to bring more officers into the fold in Louisville, she's also trying to increase her flock as a founding member of Unstoppable Praise Ministries in her hometown of Atlanta, thanks to the internet.

"Every Sunday I'm with my ministry virtually, we're preaching and we're teaching," she said. "I have others that are helping me in that and again, that is part of me."

It's a part that was instilled by a minister who also happened to be her father.

"Growing up underneath his tutelage, at the tender age of 24, I answered and I went into ministry and I followed in his footsteps and he himself ordained me and I'm honored that my father ordained me as a minister in the ministry," Gwinn-Villaroel said.

She added that her strong faith impacted her every day of her 24 years on the Atlanta Police force, and every day in Louisville since 2021.

"Prayer is keeping me stabilized. For me, I would never shy away from that and for me, my faith is allowing me to be able to lead others with the grace and compassion that has been extended to me," said Gwinn-Villaroel. 

She wants her officers to spread a message of service to Louisville residents by meeting as many people as they can.

"We're out there on our bikes, we're out there on our ATVs, we're patrolling, we're getting out of our cars and we're doing foot patrols now, they want that, that is part of community policing," she said. 

It's all part of an effort to change LMPD's image for all ages across the city.

"Allow us to serve you. Allow LMPD to serve you, and to serve you with exceptional, professional service. We want to be a part of your family, we are a community, we are the community, and allow us to do just that," said Gwinn-Villaroel. "We are open, we want to embrace everyone, and we just want the opportunity to make those changes, those necessary changes in which we have to make and that we have made, and continue to move forward and build this community trust that we all want. Allow us to serve you. It's time."

Gwinn-Villaroel credits her family for supporting her move to Louisville. For now, her son and her husband remain in Atlanta, where he also works in law enforcement.

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