LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police Interim Chief Paul Humphrey was named permanent chief by Mayor Craig Greenberg on Monday, following three months of acting as interim.

Greenberg said in a news conference that there has been a lack of stability at the top of the department, and Humphrey is a "straight shooter, he listens to others, he is willing to make tough decisions" and has earned the respect of the officers and community. 

Humphrey is the sixth person in four years to lead LMPD as the department has been enveloped in scandals for several years. He will be sworn in on Sept. 27. 

"I appreciate the fact that the last few years have been incredibly challenging for the men and women of LMPD, just as they have been for many across our city," Greenberg told reporters. 

Col. Humphrey was named interim chief in June after Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was forced to resigned shortly after being put on administrative leave over her handling of sexual harassment allegations from a high-ranking officer. 

Since then, Greenberg said Humphrey has been '"tough and fair, thoughtful and decisive. ... He does everything that he can to support (officers)" yet hold them accountable. "We are all accountable to the people of Louisville." 

Humphrey has been meeting with citizens to regain trust over the last four months and working on improvements within the department, Greenberg said. 

"He has earned my trust and the trust of the community," the mayor said. "I have confidence in Chief Humphrey's future, LMPD's future and our city's future. ... Chief Humphrey is a proven leader."

Humphrey joined the department in 2006 and spent several years as an officer in the city's 1st and 6th divisions in the Newburg and Russell neighborhoods. In 2010, he joined the SWAT team and became its commander in 2017.

"It's humbling, it's truly humbling to have the opportunity to represent" LMPD, Humphrey said, though he added that the circumstances leading to the promotion were "unforeseen" and not part of his plan. "I'm excited to take on this role."

He said there will be numerous promotions on Sept. 27, calling it one of the ''largest command staff movements" in the history of the department. "We are going to move, promote or change 16 of 24 command staff members." 

Among the changes, Emily McKinley, and Ryan Bates will be promoted to Deputy Chief. 

"This is about the team that keeps this city safe," he said. LMPD has more than 1,000 officers. 

In addition, the investigative units of LMPD - PIU and PSU, which investigative criminal and internal complaints respectively - will be separated into two separate divisions to "increase oversight and accountability within those units to make sure that we have close, close management and supervision over such important investigations."

Attorney General Russell Coleman said in a statement that Humphrey's appointment "has the potential to be the most impactful public safety decision made by a Metro Louisville Mayor during my time as Attorney General. I applaud Mayor Greenberg’s selection and congratulate Paul and his family."

Humphrey takes over during a critical time for the department as it has been roiled by scandal over the last several years and is under a federal consent decree following a scathing report from the U.S. Department of Justice last year. 

That investigation was prompted by the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020 during a botched March 13, 2020 raid in which four officers were criminally charged and the city paid more than $10 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit. 

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.

Police have been heavily criticized for illegal traffic stops, sexual harassment lawsuits, using excessive force and the sexual abuse of juveniles in the department's youth Explorer program, which also led to arrest of officers and a $3.55 million settlement. 

In all, the city has paid more than $75 million since 2016 to settle lawsuits on behalf of the department. 

The department also suffered embarrassment and public outrage over the so-called "Slushygate" scandal, in which several officers in 2018 and 2019 filmed each other throwing drinks from their vehicles at pedestrians in Louisville's West End. Two more officers were convicted in federal court. 

And most recently, the department drew international criticism for the arrest of pro golfer Scottie Scheffler outside Valhalla Golf Club for allegedly "dragging" a police officer while trying to drive around security and enter the club. The charges were later dropped. 

In addition, low morale has been rampant in the department and LMPD has struggled in recruiting and keeping officers. 

Humphrey said officers need someone to have faith in them. 

"I've got faith in these officers," he said. "They are outstanding. They are very hardworking and they just need someone to believe in them, and sometimes that's enough."

When he was deputy chief, Humphrey oversaw the Accountability and Improvement Bureau, with the task of reforming the department in the wake of the DOJ report and other issues. 

Asked what makes him the best person to change the culture within LMPD, Humphrey mentioned his 18 years on the force and said "I understand the people here, I'm part of the people here. ... I think to improve a place you have to be part of that place. Improvement from the outside rarely works."

In her June 25 resignation letter, Gwinn-Villaroel wrote that she became chief during "challenging times" where a wall of "divisiveness between the men and women of LMPD, the citizens, media, and the mayoral administration existed."

While she said she tried to foster an environment of "trust and legitimacy," she ran into "an invasive presence of professional and ethical apathy that was counterproductive to morale."

She called it an "apathetic professional malaise."

This story may be updated. 

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