LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police Chief Paul Humphrey visited WDRB Mornings on Tuesday to discuss violent crime, gangs, transparency and other issues.

After serving as the interim chief for three months, Humphrey was named permanent chief by Mayor Craig Greenberg in September. Humphrey is the sixth person in four years to lead LMPD as the department has been enveloped in scandals for several years. He was sworn in on Sept. 27. 

"The focus is on police work, we can't afford to deal with all these outside distractions," Humphrey said. "We have to focus on the core of what police work is, and that's keeping people safe and having positive interactions, locking up bad people and taking them off the street." 

The Louisville Inspector General's Office is investigating abuse of police power following a 2019 retirement party in the Louisville Metro Police Department's Homicide Unit that allegedly involved sex and alcohol. LMPD has since concluded its own internal investigation, which the department said found no wrongdoing.

But an anonymous complaint filed earlier this summer claims the department's investigation wasn't thorough enough. The Louisville Civilian Review and Accountability Board agrees, now the city's Inspector General is being asked to decide.

"As far as this case, from what I understand of the case, we've did a thorough investigation, over 50 people we're interviewed. I haven't gotten any information from the OIG, the specifics of what he is supposedly investigating in regards to this that might be different," Humphrey said. "There's nothing here that I know that causes me concern of where we're going and what we're doing. We're making good progress."

LMPD is searching for suspects after a shooting injured two minors outside a Pleasure Ridge Park high school football game on Sunday night. The shooting took place around 8 p.m. during a rescheduled game between PRP and Male High School. Witnesses say fear and confusion swept through the area as gunshots rang out, prompting people to scream and run in panic.

"When young people are engaged in that type of violence, it's extremely concerning. We obviously have to get to those young people before they get to that point," Humphrey said. "We have a bunch of young people, 16 to 24 involved in violent crime who are constantly concealing their identity. They're not doing that because of COVID, they're doing that to conceal illegal activity."

There are an estimated 25-30 gangs in Louisville. Some of the larger gangs in the city have 75-100 people in them, with the average age person being 20 years old. Supervisory Special Agent Joseph Hamski, who works on FBI Louisville's Gangs and Violent Crime Squad, previously said some of the gangs have kids in them as young as 13 years old, involved in gun trafficking, robberies, burglaries and home invasions.

Humphrey said police have to put pressure on individuals in the gangs and groups.

"That's part of it, to have that group social pressure. Everybody is going to go down with you," Humphrey said.

Humphrey joined the department in 2006 and spent several years as an officer in the city's 1st and 6th divisions in the Newburg and Russell neighborhoods. In 2010, he joined the SWAT team and became its commander in 2017.

He wants to strength the police department's culture.

"We have to have a culture where police are comfortable doing police work," Humphrey said. "Talk to the officers who ride your beat."

Humphrey said LMPD wants to be accessible and open, answering as many questions as possible to media and community groups.

"We have done a poor job of explaining of what we do," Humphrey said. "It's our responsibility to make sure that you're educated about the decisions that we make and why."

LMPD is also working to address an officer shortage. LMPD is currently 250-300 officers short.

"It doesn't matter if we start recruiting at our max capacity, it is going to take us two to three years to get us out of this hole," Humphrey said. "We've started to build that culture where people are excited to work here."

To apply for a job with LMPD, click here.

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