LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields gave Metro Council an update Wednesday evening on the progress of the Hillard Heintze report given to the city more than a year ago.
The Chicago-based consulting firm was tasked with the city-funded audit, a top-to-bottom review of LMPD, in 2020.
The 155-page report was made public in January 2021 as "an unflinching look at what was working — and what was not," Mayor Greg Fischer said at the time, adding that the report "clearly outlined the pain in our community as a whole, and within LMPD."
The report, which revealed "major changes" needed at LMPD, contained more than 100 recommendations for the department and the city of Louisville.
Some of the changes Shields wants to implement include an Accountability and Improvement Bureau. Training would be handled within that bureau, as well as a unit for the officer's wellbeing.
Shields also wants to hire and academic director — someone who is qualified to look at the training program, review it and evaluate whether it needs changes.
There would also be curriculum writers who will oversee the lesson plans and help the instructors train better. It would also include a Performance Review Board. Members of the board would be someone from the shooting range, someone from the training academy, someone for peer support and a psychologist.
"To look at the incident in hand, and provide immediate feedback on what could have been handled differently, along with engaging where the employee is mentally," Shields said.
Shields also plans on having several people performing civilian audits through body camera footage and certain reports.
About 20% of the items in the review have been completed. Nearly 58% of it is in process and 21% is still in the planning and development phase.Â
In June 2021, LMPD and Mayor Greg Fischer's office launched a new online dashboard that allows the public to track the progress on police reform. To see the dashboard, click here.
The U.S. Department of Justice is also conducting an ongoing investigation into LMPD to see if there is a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing within the department and Metro Government, saying the federal probe would "dig deeper" than the city-funded audit by Hillard Heintze. That prompted the city to propose $40 million in reforms over a four-year period in an effort to "get ahead" of the DOJ's investigation, which is expected to conclude sometime this year.Â
Related Stories:
- LMPD wants to 'get ahead' of DOJ investigation, proposes $40 million in reforms
- LMPD, Mayor Fischer unveil dashboard for public to track progress on police reform
- DOJ: Federal probe of LMPD will 'dig deeper' than recent city-funded audit
- US Justice Department launches civil probe of Louisville police
- LMPD Chief Erika Shields committed to changing department culture following revealing audit
- LMPD review finds police department needs 'major changes'
- Consulting firm details 'top-to-bottom' review of Louisville Metro Police Department
- Chicago-based firm will conduct top-to-bottom review of LMPD, Fischer says
- Fischer seeks top-to-bottom review of Louisville police department
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