Louisville mayor proposes new money for medical professionals to help 911 call center

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced a plan Tuesday to invest $600,000 per year to hire medical professional to help in the 911 call center.

Greenberg said there have been more than 300,000 calls over the past two years for EMS, and he's hoping this will help ease the load for dispatchers.

The plan is to bring in medical health professionals to help with 911 calls, "ranging from self-care to a primary care visit or even directing someone to to an emergency department if needed," Greenberg said.

The proposal still needs to go before Metro Council, and if approved, the mayor's office will release more details as they come.

In addition, the mayor said he's investing further in the Louisville Metro Police Department to ensure public safety is a top priority. A new headquarters — in the old AT&T building on West Chestnut Street between 6th and 7th streets — was a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Justice following a scathing federal report in March 2023. The DOJ found a pattern of unconstitutional practices and civil rights violations, leading to a mandated contract for police reform with the federal government.

The new headquarters, LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said, will centralize the department from what's been spread out at numerous different locations.

He also wants to invest in larger recruiting classes for LMPD and new and updated surveillance equipment in public areas.

"Our goal is to make LMPD the most transparent in the entire country," Greenberg said during his weekly news conference Tuesday. "... We want LMPD to be the department that everyone wants to be a part of."