LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- After complaints that Louisville Metro Police Department was withholding information and access to officers from the city's Office of Inspector General, an agreement has been reached laying out steps aimed at increasing transparency during investigations. 

Mayor Craig Greenberg announced a new memo of understanding Tuesday with the major components of the agreement compelling LMPD officers to attend witness interviews by the OIG and the OIG gaining immediate access to body camera video of police incidents under investigation.

"We will not make excuses for mistakes of the past," Greenberg said. "We will make changes." 

The Office of Inspector General was created in 2020 in the wake of the fatal Breonna Taylor police shooting, tasked with investigating citizen complaints of police misconduct. 

When LMPD officers knocked down Taylor's door and killed her in a raid, it sparked a storm of outrage and placed a national spotlight on policing in Louisville.

Ed Harness was named inspector general and assigned to head up a civilian review board. During a September 2022 podcast with Metro Councilwoman Paula McCraney, Harness said the job of his board was "gathering evidence, evaluating it, and making a judgement without bias."

But he has said there have "speed bumps," as some officers have refused to meet with the OIG, documents provided have been redacted and access to body and dash camera videos were delayed by having to request the footage from LMPD, which could also be edited by the department. 

"It's a a seminal day here for Louisville that will allow (OIG) to conclude investigations already authorized and also clear the way for future investigations to move forward," Harness said at the press conference. 

At one point, Harness was asked about the cause of the previous problems in getting information. 

"There was a lack of action with the previous administration, and once the new administration was in office there was movement to get something done," he said. 

Greenberg added that the previous lack of cooperation was "unacceptable" and the goal of the agreement is to "enhance the independent investigation of civilian complaints."

The announcement comes about a week after federal investigators strongly rebuked the actions of Louisville police, saying they believe the department and Metro government for years engaged in practices that violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law, including excessive use of force and searches based on invalid search warrants.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said federal and local officials have agreed in principle to enter a court-enforceable consent decree as the department makes agreed-upon changes to policing practices.

Greenberg noted that one of the remedial measures suggested by the U.S. Department of Justice was LMPD cooperating with the review board. 

"We are not waiting to sign a consent decree," he said. "We are taking action."

Police officers will be required, as they would in an internal Professional Standards Investigation, to attend interviews requested by the civilian review board, or else face punishment. 

The office will also have access to unredacted police reports and data and immediate access to both body cam and dash cam footage. 

Harness and the board has the ability to review investigations and make recommendations, but only the police chief can discipline officers. The Inspector General's office investigates administrative, not criminal, cases. 

They can also make policy recommendations to the Chief of Police, Metro Council and the Mayor based off in-depth data and policy analysis.

Interim Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said what "what you are seeing today is where LMPD is truly wanting to be open and transparent and do what is right for the community." 

The chief said officers' due process will be protected during and the interviews will comply with state law, meaning, in part, that anything said in the interviews cannot be used against them in a criminal investigation. Officers are "wanting to do what's best for the department and the community. This is a new day." 

This story may be updated. 

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