Conversation series includes discussion on policing in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A conversation at the Frazier History Museum Thursday night brought community members and city leaders together to talk about improving police and community relations. 

It's part of a four-part series through the museum, Muhammad Ali Center, and Courier Journal called "Racial Reckoning." Thursday's topic was on policing. 

"I'm the first person to say there has to be change," said Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields, who was one of the panelists. "But what I hope we can get out of this conversation tonight is an understanding and an idea of how do you, in this space ... if you're in my shoes and you've got 172 homicides and then 75% of our victims are African American ... at some level, there's going to have to be an interaction between police and the Black community and the question is, what does that look like?"

Shields went on to say, "For me, what I would hope this panel and this discussion can do is have a mature conversation so that we can find that path forward collectively."

Other panelists included Executive Director of Diversity and Equity at the University of Louisville Marian Vasser, District 7 Councilwoman Paula McCraney, and Spalding University Social Justice Practitioner Khalilah Collins.

Judge Denise Clayton and Pastor Dr. F. Bruce Williams shared personal stories before the panel began their discussion.

"We need transparency all the time. We need to be able to trust that what is coming out of the mouths of LMPD, FOP is the truth," said McCraney. 

This conversation comes as Louisville nears last year's record number of homicides. After the panel, Chief Shields was asked about the city's violence.

"It's just, the number (of homicides) is just far too high, far too high for any city and it's just so discouraging, but we have a job to do and so we just go out everyday trying to prevent the next act of violence and make arrests on the ones that occur but obviously, the numbers are too high," she said. 

When asked if people should feel safe in Louisville, Shields said, "I think that to a degree, it depends on the community that you're in, sadly. Everybody should be able to go out of their house and feel safe and we've got work to do."

The Racial Reckoning series will continue next month with a conversation focused on health. Topics of housing and education have already been discussed.