LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville's police union is pushing to halt investigations conducted by the city's watchdog office.
The Fraternal Order of Police — the union representing LMPD officers — filed a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month asking Mayor Craig Greenberg to stop the city's inspector general from investigating police officers.
The issue was discussed Tuesday during a meeting of the Civilian Review Board.
In the aftermath of the police killing of Breonna Taylor, Louisville established both an Office of Inspector General and a Civilian Review Board in 2022 to provide independent oversight of the city's police department.
The Office of Inspector General, or OIG, exists solely to investigate complaints against LMPD and review department policies and practices.
In the letter to Greenberg, the FOP argued the OIG has overstepped its authority and is improperly investigating police officers.
At the center of the dispute is an increasingly tense relationship between the OIG and LMPD command staff. Several investigative findings and opinions issued by the inspector general's office have reportedly frustrated police leadership.
The conflict places one independent city department — the OIG — in the position of investigating another city department: LMPD.
Members with the civilian board questioned whether they may need to hire outside legal counsel because of a potential conflict involving the Jefferson County Attorney's Office.
"If they are defending actions of police officers who are accused of misconduct, in which we also may be involved, how can there not be a conflict there?" one board member said during the meeting.
In its cease-and-desist letter, the FOP claims the city, through the OIG, is violating Kentucky state law.
"The Lodge maintains that the OIG's investigations into LMPD officers is contrary to state law, as the OIG is not 'the department or another designated law enforcement agency,'" the letter states.
Inspector General Ed Harness pushed back strongly against those claims.
"Well, I don't believe the mayor has the unilateral power to shut down our investigations," Harness said. "And our investigations do not violate the Police Officer's Bill of Rights. We act in accordance with the Kentucky Revised Statutes and according to the collective bargaining agreement."
Harness also questioned the timing of the FOP's legal challenge, and said the office has operated for years with union involvement in discussions over investigative procedures.
The cease-and-desist letter does not cite any particular investigation, and Harness believes the issue is broader.
Harness pointed to previous negotiations between the union and the OIG, including disputes over the office's 48-hour notice requirement before interviewing officers.
"I thought it was odd timing at this point," Harness said. "It appears to be an argument that should have been made five years ago. Especially when you consider the FOP has sat here at this table with me and we've discussed issues."
The FOP's letter warns a lawsuit could be the next step if the city does not intervene.
River City FOP President John Ramsey released the following statement:
"Now that Mayor Greenberg has been made aware of this issue, the FOP has the upmost confidence he will comply with state law."
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