LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With a rise in violent crime citywide, much of it involving young people, Louisville Metro Police are looking for ways to solve it while also dealing with an officer shortage.

From the pandemic and protests, to pay and morale, it's a problem that traces back several years. 

LMPD is still down more than 200 officers from what would be considered a full staff. Assistant Chief Donny Burbrink said Tuesday he could use the extra officers in his Patrol Division to get ahead of the violence.

"We try to intervene the best that we can, with different intelligence resources that we have, but sometimes violent crime is a reactionary thing," Burbrink said. "So we're trying to disrupt them in the front end, but the big thing for us is recidivism, is to try to prevent recidivism, is to try to solve that crime the very first time it happens."

Burbrink said LMPD hopes to be fully staffed in the next three to five years. He said using the current police force more strategically will help, by putting officers in the areas where city data shows most of the crime is happening. 

Maj. Donny Burbrink was made Assistant Chief of the Patrol Division amid key command position changes this fall.

He also said his officers care about the city, and are not afraid to engage because of past cases where LMPD was found to be in the wrong on traffic stops — cases that have been highlighted by the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Burbrink said if they see something suspicious, and they think they may be able to prevent a crime, they will not let it slide.

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