Metro Council narrowly approves contract renewal for Louisville's inspector general

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Metro Council narrowly approved the contract renewal for Louisville Inspector General Ed Harness on Thursday.

Harness was nominated by Mayor Craig Greenberg last month to serve another term.

Thursday's vote was a close one, 14-12 along party lines. All Republican councilmembers voted against the contract renewal.

Some members expressed skepticism about Harness being reappointed, and the work his office has done.

"In one case, a recommendation coming out of Mr. Harness' office and the CRAB Board, there were 13 demonstrable issues with it, including the accusation of lies on a warrant which were demonstrably not true," Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-District 19, said.

But other members voiced their support for him.

"I wouldn't want to see no one else in this seat besides Ed Harness. Trust, transparency, bold. And it's what the community would want to see. I'm in support of this," Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins, D-District 1, said.

Harness will now serve another four-year term is inspector general. He was unanimously approved as the city's first inspector general in November 2021, tasked with investigating allegations of misconduct between the Louisville Metro Police Department and the public.

His current contract expires this month.

Harness previously told WDRB he had been told his chances of his contract being renewed are "slim." He said he didn't exactly know why that is the prevailing belief and pointed out he has had a good relationship with the mayor's office.

"We've done everything that we are supposed to under the ordinance, and we've done a good job," he said in an August interview. "I don't think there is any reason I shouldn't be appointed, honestly."

Harness also said he had been having trouble getting responses to his recommendations from all three of the Louisville police chiefs who have served since he was appointed.

Earlier this year, he described his relationship with Humphrey as "cold" after remarks from the chief vehemently criticized Harness and the Civilian Review and Accountability Board's findings that an officer violated policy in a fatal shooting.

Humphrey later called for a "healthy and functioning relationship" between LMPD and the OIG "so that we can get good feedback and they give good information to the public about what we're doing."

"So whoever is in that role, that's the type of relationship that we look for," Humphrey said during an August news briefing. "Would I characterize our relationship as highly functioning now? I think we have some roadblock that I would like to improve, and I think we are both putting forth efforts toward making sure we streamline a lot of the bumps we've had over the last year."

When announcing he'd nominated Harness for a second term, Greenberg was asked if there is an expectation of better communication between the OIG and LMPD moving forward. He said it'd been addressed and there will be a "stronger working relationship" in the months and years ahead.

In a statement released after the mayor's announcement, LMPD said independent oversight from the Office of Inspector General aligns with the department's commitment to transparency and public trust.

"We value collaboration with the OIG and look forward to continuing to work with Ed Harness and his team," LMPD said. "Their role helps ensure our work reflects community expectations and the highest standards of integrity."

When nominating Harness, Greenberg said the inspector general and his office would report to Misty Wright, his executive director of community safety, during the second term. This change came after David James, who previously served a deputy mayor under Greenberg, left that post to become the new Jefferson County sheriff upon John Aubrey's death.

Harness also leads the Metro Council Civilian Review and Accountability Board, created in the wake of the Breonna Taylor shooting. When LMPD officers knocked down Taylor's door and killed her in a raid, it sparked a storm of outrage and placed a spotlight on policing in Louisville.

While the accountability board can make recommendations for change, it doesn't have the ability to impose any discipline.

The 11-member citizen board was a key reform promised by then-Mayor Greg Fischer and approved by Metro Council in November 2020 in the months after the Breonna Taylor shooting.

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