LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Two Louisville Metro Police officers were indicted this week on theft charges related to problems with their pay, the latest in a series of pay-related cases against LMPD officers that has prompted Metro Council members to call for a deeper look at overtime and secondary employment practices within the department.
Salat Aweys and Marcel Williams each face up to 10 years in prison for theft by unlawful taking.
According to prosecutors, the officers are accused of "double-dipping" by working private security at a public housing complex in the city's Park Hill neighborhood while on the clock for LMPD. They are not accused of stealing from LMPD, but from the Louisville Metro Housing Authority.
According to the indictment, the theft occurred between December 2024 and December 2025 and totaled at least $10,000.
LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said in a written statement Wednesday that the department's Public Integrity Unit began its investigation in December 2025. He said Aweys resigned from the department in January 2026, and LMPD initiated the termination process for Williams after the charges came down from the Grand Jury.
"LMPD takes matters of integrity seriously and remains committed to maintaining the public's trust through accountability and transparency," Humphrey said.
Louisville Metro Housing Authority said it will not comment on an active investigation.
A pattern of pay-related charges
The indictments came about two months after prosecutors charged another LMPD officer for pay-related issues. In May, LMPD officer Roberto Grider was indicted after the department found inaccuracies on his timecard. Grider was charged with theft by deception over $1,000 but under $10,000 and official misconduct. Prosecutors said the inaccuracies were related to overtime.
According to city payroll records, Grider made $168,000 last year, with $70,000 of that in overtime.
At the time of Grider's indictment, Humphrey said there were no issues with the hours worked and that they were verified by supervisors.
But overtime costs within LMPD are the subject of an ongoing WDRB investigation.
Taxpayers shelled out $66 million over in last three years. Between 2023 and 2025, payroll records show 17 officers more than doubled their pay with overtime. Another 170 officers made at least $50,000 in overtime last year alone, including Grider.
At the time of the initial reporting, Humphrey said there were no issues with the hours worked and supervisors validated the time.Â
Behind the scenes, city leaders have been pressing for more answers.
Councilwomen Jennifer Chappell and Shameka Parrish-Wright asked for specific accounting, wanting to know where individual officers were working overtime and what work was done during those shifts. LMPD responded with bulk overtime breakdowns by division but did not provide officer-specific data or any information on work product.
Parrish-Wright also raised questions that would later speak directly to the charges against Aweys and Williams.
"What oversight mechanisms are currently in place to ensure officers and supervisors involved in secondary employment or private security work are not using city time, city resources, department relationships, or confidential systems for private financial gain," she wrote in an email to the Greenberg administration.
The police department referred her to an 18-point Metro Government policy for standards of conduct and the department's standard operating procedures.
Metro Council ultimately cut $2 million from overtime spending before approving $268 million for LMPD in the 2026-2027 spending plan.
Parrish-Wright, who is running for mayor, called for a deeper look at the department's practices.
"I think LMPD has some internal corruption and root causes that they need to deal with. That's not saying all officers are corrupt. That's not saying the system is corrupt. But the system is problematic," Parrish-Wright said. "If you keep having the same problems over and over again. And I think if we dug deep enough, if we did a forensic audit, we would find out that these three officers are not the only ones who are probably in jeopardy of charges."
Two other council members — Chappell and District 1 councilmember Tammy Hawkins — previously said they would support an audit.
A spokesperson for Greenberg did not say whether the mayor supports an audit of LMPD's overtime and secondary employment practices, but provided the following statement:
"The mayor appreciates Chief Humphrey initiating an investigation and pursuing charges — sending a clear message this will not be tolerated."
This story may be updated.
Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
