LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – A Louisville Metro Police detective was suspended earlier this year for failing to properly pursue criminal cases assigned to him and making prejudicial comments about female supervisors, including that women don’t “belong in supervisory roles.”
Det. Jeremy Livers was suspended by Chief Steve Conrad for 20 days on Jan. 19 for violating several police policies, including not properly investigating cases and prejudice against other employees.
But last month Livers filed a lawsuit against the city and the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board, which upheld the chief’s findings but reduced the suspension to 18 days. Livers was also transferred to a different division as part of his punishment.
The lawsuit claims the board did not allow Livers to confront witnesses against him and improperly allowed some evidence into the proceeding. The suit also deemed the suspension “unjustified” and not supported by evidence.
The lawsuit is asking Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Barry Willett to throw out the suspension and reinstate Livers with back pay and benefits. The case is pending.
Livers, according to an internal police investigation, made the following comments about female supervisors.
- “Females handle issues and problems with emotion, rather than logic.”
- “I’m just tired of every time I turn around, there’s a woman telling me what to do.”
- “I have issues working for women.”
- “I don’t believe that they (women) belong in supervisory roles."
The investigative documents, obtained by WDRB News in an open records request, do not say who Livers said the comments to or provide any context. Several officers were interviewed but their statements were not included in the police investigation turned over to WDRB.
In addition, the investigation found that Livers “failed to diligently pursue” criminal cases assigned to him, closing six on the same day he was put on the case, for example. Three others were closed a day after he was assigned the cases.
And out of all of the cases assigned to Livers, only 69 had supplemental reports. The investigation accuses Livers of “improperly closing” cases assigned to him.
"It is clear you were closing cases and not submitting them for approval for supervisory review," Conrad said in a Jan. 19 memo to Livers.
An attorney for Livers, David Leightty, said he could not comment on the specifics of the case but called Livers an "outstanding police officer" and said the penalty was "excessive."
The city does not comment on pending litigation.
However, in an answer to the lawsuit earlier this month, the city argued the merit’s board’s findings were “neither arbitrary or capricious; they were supported by substantial probative evidence of record.”
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