LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — If your car is stolen or your credit card is scammed, chances are a Louisville Metro Police Department detective may not have the time to investigate.
A recent report from the Office of Inspector General reveals LMPD detectives are being stretched thin, handling up to 100 cases a month — sometimes 40 to 50 new cases a week. According to the report, the department prioritizes violent crimes, leaving many property and financial crimes low on the list.
"Felonies were a priority and crimes of violence took top ranks. Misdemeanor offenses were low priority and often were not investigated," the report states.
Demetrius McDowell, who runs a nonprofit helping young people avoid serious trouble, said the lack of consequences is a major concern.
"There's no consequence. There's no fear. A young kid breaks into a car and gets a citation if he's caught," McDowell said.
Staffing issues are part of the problem. LMPD currently has 6 to 7 detectives covering each division, down from 10 to 12 in previous years. That leaves detectives struggling to keep up with every case that hits their desk.
McDowell described the emotional toll on victims:
"I recently just talked to my mother. They said she hasn't heard from her detective since about a month. And before that … she can't remember," he said. "There's a lot of grieving and high emotions with victims of not just violent crimes, but just people who have been violated with their things and property being broken into and stolen."
Detectives confirmed property and financial crimes often take a backseat.
"Financial crimes are a burden and time-consuming. What do I neglect while doing those?" one detective told investigators.
The report, which included interviews with 36 LMPD detectives and sergeants, found that caseloads are "heavy to the point of being unmanageable." Most detectives said the reality of the workload was overwhelming despite knowing the challenges going in.
Communication with victims is another major hurdle. Some detectives said as many as 50-60% of victims don’t respond to calls, which contributes to cases going inactive.
"I think it stops them from even calling and following up themselves. In some cases, when they do follow up, they’re not getting any type of feedback from the police. So it's like they give up and just deal with life on life's terms," one detective said.
The report also notes detectives are losing overtime pay, adding financial strain to the already heavy workload. Among the recommendations are increasing staffing, enabling patrol officers to handle some follow-ups, and creating a mentoring program for new detectives.
In a statement following the report's release, LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said the department was still "reviewing the findings in full."
"We agree with many of its initial conclusions — particularly the need to reduce detectives' caseloads through increased staffing," the statement continued. "I am encouraged by the growing numbers in our recruit classes and hope this trend continues. We urge more people to consider a career with LMPD. We will continue to explore strategies to balance workload demands for our officers, detectives and professional staff. By strengthening our ranks and investing in our employees, we can continue to build a department that supports our community with both urgency and excellence."
To read the full report, click here or on the PDF embedded in this story.
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