Special Agent in Charge of Louisville's FBI field office being promoted to DC

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Changes are coming to Louisville's FBI field office.

Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown is being promoted and will soon begin his new role as Assistant Director of the FBI's Operational Technology. He will transfer to Washington, D.C.

Brown has been in Louisville more than two years. It's not clear who will fill his shoes at this field office.

"I'm very sad to leave Kentucky. It's been one of the best places I've ever lived," said Brown.

He said he is proud of the resilience he's seen here in the community.

He says his new role is very broad, and will include providing technical solutions to problems. Brown said part of it also involves the FBI's movement toward body cameras.

During an interview Thursday, Brown said there are several priorities for the FBI in Kentucky this next year, including a focus on civil rights, public corruption and domestic terrorism. He says at the top of the list is reducing violent crime in the city.

"I know that the (homicide) numbers aren't good," said Brown.

He believes Louisville will likely have another record year for homicides and non-fatal shootings in 2021. However, he says he's hopeful for the future.

Brown said points of hope include:

Getting out of the pandemic
People going back to work
Group Violence Intervention (GVI program)
Task forces
Working with Louisville Metro Police

"Really the work that the community is putting into it. I want to give attention to the work that Game Changers and Christopher 2X is doing and I'm optimistic that all of those will lower the homicides rates going into 2022," said Brown.

He also spoke on other topics, including the disappearance of Bardstown mother, Crystal Rogers.

The FBI's Louisville field office announced in August 2020 that it was taking the lead in the Rogers case. Thursday, Brown said he couldn't give a date on when any information would be released.

"The community down there has lived under this cloud of mystery for quite a while. I can assure you we are just as engaged now as we were [last summer]," said Brown.

He said the analytical phase in now underway, including digital forensics and interviewing witnesses.

"We haven't taken our eye off the disappearance of Crystal Rogers," he said.

Questions were also asked about Breonna Taylor during the interview.

"I can't talk about any of the specifics because it's an ongoing investigation but I am satisfied with the momentum the team has," said Brown.