LMPD police lights generic night.jpeg

LMPD cruisers at night.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Council members believe a number of things that could be done to help lower crime levels in the city are not being done. 

In a letter sent this week to Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Metro Council leadership sharply criticized the mayor for his handling of the ongoing violent crime problem in the city. 

"We want to summarize what we have heard from Councilmembers in a bipartisan way to get through this current period of violence in the city. None of us disagree that there is a ‘whole of city approach’ that is needed but as the Mayor, the city looks to you to lead this initiative," Councilmen David James, D-6, Markus Winkler, D-17, and Anthony Piagentini, R-19, wrote. 

The council members listed several changes it wants to see the mayor make:

  • Increased partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools, including regular meetings between Superintendent Marty Pollio and the mayor.
  • Partnering with JCPS to add officers to certain schools.
  • Creating better and increased dialogue between the city's Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods and JCPS.
  • Recruit and hire police officers who may work for other departments or hired by creating on-time hiring incentives such as sign-on bonuses.
  • Use civilian personnel to complete non-police activities (such as paperwork) so officers can spend more time on Louisville streets.
  • Enhanced bonuses for new recruit classes including bonuses and relocation money.
  • Work with state to allow officers to view previous juvenile booking photos during investigations.
  • Begin communications with state about reopening a Louisville-based juvenile justice center. 
  • Regular communications with the public to provide updates on violent crime.
Download PDF Letter from Louisville Metro Council members to Mayor Greg Fischer

Piagentini says Fischer's office has been mum on these issues. 

"I have no idea what is going over there at this point," Piagentini said. "There is a shocking lack of leadership about this."

Meanwhile, Fischer says many of the issues will be addressed in the Louisville Police Union contract that is currently being renegotiated. 

"Our focus is on the contract because the contract represents all that and more," Fischer said Thursday.

A tentative agreement was reached in August, but was soundly rejected by union members.

The agreement included 9% raises in 2022 and 3% raises in 2023. In a statement, the FOP said officers and sergeants felt the contract "would not do enough to stop our constant loss of officers and would not adequately increase Metro's ability to recruit the best talent available to the LMPD."

"The members listened to their chief say that the LMPD should be the highest paid police department in the state," the statement read. "This proposed agreement does not accomplish that goal. They listened to the Metro Council President say that there was more money available to realize these goals."

The contract also included:

  • Mandatory critical incident drug and alcohol testing.
  • 8.21% raises for lieutenants, the same raise officers and sergeants received in December 2020.
  • New residency stipend of $5,000 for qualified areas.

Currently, the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) is more than 200 officers understaffed. The department graduated 16 officers from the academy on Wednesday. Recruit classes have previously had more than 40 recruits. 

Fischer said the recruiting challenges, as well as violent crime, is a nationwide problem that requires a "reimagining" of policing and recruiting tactics. 

The mayor said a new contract with the FOP is currently being worked on, but no timeline was given on when it might be complete. 

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