Republicans on Metro Council tout success of 'Safer Louisville' plan, add 2 new policy initiatives

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Metro Council members celebrated progress Tuesday on their comprehensive "Safer Louisville" plan while adding two new bullet points moving forward.

A group of Republican members held a news conference to tout progress made working closely with first responders and law enforcement. The members said they've accomplished goals with nearly every policy proposal, including the passage of a human trafficking ordinance.

"This new ordinance gives Louisville the tools necessary to pivot to a position of implementation, which is exactly where we are right now," said Councilman Jeff Hudson, R-23. "The wheels are in motion to make tangible and positive impacts on the safety and wellbeing of the people in our city."

At City Hall last year, the group highlighted several categories to improve safety in the city, many of which they plan to formally propose in the next year:

Adding State police patrols on Jefferson County Interstate Roadways
Eliminating streetside solicitation
Funding a pilot program to place streetlights in 2 high crime areas.
Cracking down on illegal ATV use
Seeking a timely reopening of the Juvenile Justice Center
Calling for the planning and development of a New Jail to improve worker and inmate safety.
Funding programs to increase number of Traffic Feedback Signs, Flock Cameras and Real Time Video Cameras deployed within Metro.
Supporting efforts to increase transparency and create a "scorecard" for better awareness on Judicial and Prosecutorial decisions especially involving violent criminals.
Funding for construction of a new First Responder Training Facility

One of Tuesday's updates was the addition of two new policy proposals addressing retail theft and illegal donation bins.

"These proposals aren’t about making people feel better – they are real changes and initiatives that are based on research and work with persons in law enforcement," Khalil Batshon, R-25, said in a news release Tuesday. "When we unveiled these proposals four months ago, we pledged to give regular updates, so that everyone can know that there is substance to each. Today, we are following up on that promise and we are happy to show that we have already accomplished many of our goals with nearly every policy proposal moving towards implementation."

'Likely saved lives' | Jefferson County sheriff's deputies seize thousands of fentanyl pills

Coroner identifies 15-year-old girl shot to death by another teen in Elizabethtown