LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A newly completed staffing study found the Louisville Metro Police Department is 109 officers short of its recommended staffing level, a significantly smaller gap than the 200 to 300 officer shortage the city cited for years.
LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey presented the findings Wednesday during the Metro Council budget hearing reviewing the city's $250 million proposed budget for the police department.
The study, completed by Matrix Consulting Group, found LMPD should have 1,137 total sworn officers based on Louisville's population. The department currently has 1,028 sworn officers, including a recruit class sworn in Friday.
The report also found the department is close to its recommended patrol officer count.
According to the study, LMPD should have 430 beat officers spread across divisions. At the time of the review, the department had 396 — just 34 officers short.
However, 654 officers are currently assigned to patrol positions in total. That number includes supervisors, detectives and impact platoons, who patrol the streets along with the beat officers.
Other recommendations in the study include adding detectives and sergeants to the Homicide Unit, Financial Crimes Squad, the Domestic Violence Squad and Office of Sexual and Physical Investigations.
The study would also add officers to the Traffic Unit while reducing staffing in other units such as internal affairs.
Humphrey sent a letter to staff outlining the recommendations, but emphasized at the budget meeting that nothing is final.
"That study doesn't come with any commitments," he said. "But that's something, between the agency, the mayor's office and the council, we're going to have to make decisions on what advice from that study we take, and what advice we think is not practical."
The department hopes to graduate 60 recruits from the police academy next year if the council approves the third recruit class proposed in the city budget, which is set to be voted on in June.
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