LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- At least 100 police officers called for the resignation of Mayor Greg Fischer, after they claim he's forcing Louisville police to "stand down" during downtown protests.
Retired LMPD officer George Rodman, who led a rally at Central Park in Old Louisville Tuesday morning, alleged that the orders to stand down come directly from Fischer. But Fischer denied that claim just hours later.
"When the vandalism and looting began, front line workers were given the order of 'stand down' from the mayor," Rodman said. "'Stand down' from the mayor."
But Fischer says while he's "sometimes around" when the decisions are made, the order is up to interim LMPD chief Robert Schroeder.
"Ultimately, Chief Schroeder," Fischer said. "And then it would go to the commander who is ever on the ground at that point."
Schroeder had not briefed reporters to respond as of Tuesday afternoon.
The rally was held hours after a tense night in downtown Louisville, where protests were held for the 17th straight day over the March 13 police shooting of Breonna Taylor. Nine people were arrested Monday night in what police described as "aggressive demonstration."
Those arrested face charges of unlawful assembly, failure to disperse and one for vandalizing a police cruiser. LMPD and Fischer issued warnings for everyone to stay out of the area downtown, after an angry crowd used cars and signs to block the streets. At one point, the crowd tried to pull a semi driver from a truck.
Schroeder said Monday night some officers used pepper balls to disperse the crowd from the area of Ninth Street near Roy Wilkins Avenue as it closed in on police. Schroeder said some protesters did help defuse the situation as it grew more heated.
Rodman, whose son Nick Rodman was killed while on duty in a wreck in 2017, was a training officer for a number of years with LMPD. He believes Fischer should resign.
"It's not their fault," Rodman said of the officers. "It's the fault of elected officials' fault that this city, that LMPD is in the condition it is in."
Fischer said Tuesday morning that he believes he still has the trust of the majority of LMPD officers.
"We have about 1,100 sworn police officers," Fischer said. "This is an incredibly difficult time for America. You see this through the protests in our streets which ultimately is going to lead to a better situation in America.”
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