LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville's newest police chief was officially sworn into the job on Friday.

Command staff from the Louisville Metro Police Department and city leaders packed the Muhammad Ali Center downtown, where Jacqueline Gwinn-Villaroel took the oath to become chief.

"We are just moving forward. The city is energized by the direction LMPD is going in," Gwinn-Villaroel said. "I'm super excited for all the officers that truly continue to put in the hard work each and every day and we just want to continue to work on our community relationships and keeping this community safe."

The city conducted a nationwide search for its next top officer.

Mayor Craig Greenberg, who swore Gwinn-Villaroel in, praised the chief's efforts in her short time as interim, and during the aftermath of the Old National Bank Shooting.

During the ceremony, Greenberg shared a conversation he had with the wife of Jim Tutt, one of the five people killed inside Old National Bank in April 2023. Greenberg said Tutt was grateful for Gwinn-Villaroel's calm presence and words as those were the darkest hours of her life.

Several speakers at Friday's ceremony, while complimentary of Gwinn-Villaroel, also reminded her of the tough job ahead of her. 

She's taking over a department under a consent decree from the U.S. Department of Justice after it found dozens of remedial measures needed regarding LMPD's use of force, search warrants and more. The department's scathing report, released in March, rebuked LMPD's actions over the last several years. 

Federal investigators believe LMPD and Metro Government engaged in practices that violated the Constitution and federal law. 

Gwinn-Villaroel and other local officials will work with the Justice Department to negotiate terms of a court-monitored consent decree to be filed in federal court.

It could be five or more years of federal scrutiny for the department.

As interim chief, Gwinn-Villaroel also started several new initiatives within LMPD including, work of implementing police reforms, establishing the Non-Fatal Shooting Squad, implementing the Stop-the-Violence Community Outreach Program, and the expansion of the Louisville Metro Police Activities League. 

Gwinn-Villaroel is the city's first female African American to serve as permanent police chief. She has served as interim since January 2023, and before that as Deputy Chief under former Chief Erika Shields since 2021.

Before that, Gwinn-Villaroel rose through the ranks beginning in 1997 at the Atlanta Police Department. 

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