LMPD chief updates Metro Council on department reorganization plan

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Metro Council called on Louisville's police chief Wednesday to testify about his new department reorganization plan.

Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad addressed the Metro Council Public Safety Committee and brought along several members of his command staff. The committee meeting focused on how the reorganization will impact community safety at a time when violent crime is on the rise.

"All of this has been a challenging process," Conrad said, "it has involved many difficult decisions."

Under the reorganization, the Community Services Division will be rolled into the Special Operations Division. The Narcotics and 9th Mobile divisions will become the new Criminal Interdiction Division. Officers who are not chosen for a role in one of the new divisions will be moved to vacant positions in the Patrol Bureau. The majors who will oversee the Special Operations Division and the Criminal Interdiction Division are currently in the selection process.

Because of budget problems, the department is expected to employ 75 to 100 fewer officers by the end of the fiscal year.

"We are in the process of reorganizing the police department to fit the reality of our budget," Conrad said. "... Instead of adding resources that I believe we desperately need to protect this community and to meet the demands of this community, we're trying to figure out a way to do this job with fewer resources. The truth is we're going to end up doing less with less, and that is a problem."

Louisville's violent crime statistics are on the rise. The city has seen 88 homicides so far in 2019, pacing well ahead of 2018. Police have investigated 283 shootings so far in 2019, which is a 7% increase, according to LMPD.

Metro Council President David James asked Conrad if the increase in violence is due to a lack of officers or resources. Conrad said he didn't think he could directly equate the number of officers to decreases or increases in violence but said what police officers do matters.

"More officers, in my personal opinion, would lead to fewer crimes and, in particular, fewer violent crimes," said Conrad, who added this is just the beginning of his reorganization efforts.

"We are in the planning stages for a reorganization of our Major Crimes Division, which handles most of our investigations," he said. "This reorganization will also result in a yet-to-be-determined number of detectives who will who will return to patrol duties."

The Major Crimes Division oversees the Homicide Unit, Special Victims Unit, Crimes Against Children Unit, Robbery and Financial Crimes Unit and all forensic investigations. Conrad did not give a timeline for when the Major Crimes reorganization would take place.

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