Louisville police reforms will be studied for 2 years by Ohio State University researchers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Metro Police Department will be the subject of a groundbreaking study by researchers at Ohio State University, funded by a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The two-year project will evaluate the effectiveness of changes mandated by a federal consent decree. This effort is part of Louisville's agreement with the DOJ to reform policing practices following an investigation into the department's handling of civil rights issues.

Researchers will not only study how these reforms are implemented but also survey Louisville residents to gauge public perceptions of the police department. According to Robin Engel, a senior research scientist at Ohio State University, this marks the first time a research team has studied a police department under federal oversight in real-time. She emphasized the importance of evidence-based research in police reform.

Engel's previous research with LMPD focused on de-escalation training. Her findings showed, after the training, the department's use of force incidents dropped by 28%, citizen injuries decreased by 26% and officer injuries declined by 36%.

"Prior to that, we really didn't know if de-escalation training worked," Engel said. "This study was then used across the country and the world to demonstrate that training could have a positive impact on communities."

The study's funding lasts two years, but researchers hope it will serve as a foundation for future evaluations.

Under the consent decree, LMPD will revise its use-of-force and training policies, improve search warrant practices, ensure traffic stops are conducted legally, ensure the fair investigations of police misconduct and address sexual harassment allegations in the department, among other reforms.

Consent decrees have a track record of reducing officers' use of force and the number of complaints and lawsuits against them, according to media reports. Given the actions the city and LMPD have already taken, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said she felt confident the federal oversight could be completed within five years.

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