LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There is growing support across the city for the Louisville inspector general's idea of community policing.
Community policing hopes to prevent and reduce crime by creating relationships between police and community members. During a meeting Tuesday at the Portland Community Center, folks discussed how to best police the city.
"Community policing is something that we've needed for decades," said Mikal Forbush.
Forbush has been waiting for Louisville to adopt community policing for years.
"It will only work if not only does everybody take it seriously, but it's implemented in a way that really makes sense for our community," he said.
Former Mayor Greg Fischer hired the city's first inspector general, Edward Harness, in 2021. Harness investigates allegations of misconduct between the Louisville Metro Police Department and the public. He is from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he had served as the executive director of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency since 2015.
"The goal is to have a more professional, more constitutional police department," Harness said.
So, he's pushing for community policing, things like neighborhood watch groups; and policy revisions, like finding alternatives to arrests, or what can be considered as — use of force.
"We have to engage the entire community. We simply can't focus on one pocket or another," Harness said.
Many are ready for the challenge.
"Let's not hide from what's going on," Kathylene Stevenson, who attended the meeting in Portland, said. "Let's help with what's going on."
"A lot of my ideas are getting the churches involved, getting the faith based community involved, and help govern and regulate our children," Carolyn Marie Wilson, who also attended the Portland meeting, said.
"It used to be back in the days, police officers would come through your neighborhood and they would get to know you and we need to bring that back," Patricia Luscho, who attended the Portland meeting, said.
A meeting was held on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, to discuss community policing in Louisville. (WDRB photo)
However, folks noticed LMPD wasn't present at Tuesday's meeting.
WDRB News reached out to LMPD. They provided a statement: "We appreciate the OIG’s efforts at implementing the measures he deems necessary to assist with moving forward towards ensuring constitutional policing and strengthening police-community relationships. LMPD welcomes input from the community and has hosted and participated in several community forums to hear the concerns of the citizens we serve. LMPD supports the OIG’s initiatives and the work of his office for a better Louisville. We look forward to more opportunities to continue working with community partners in the future.”
"So, that the outcomes are really reflect what the community and residents want," Forbush said.
If you missed the first meeting there are seven more scheduled. They are happening through September, throughout the city.
The next meeting is June 22 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Berrytown/Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Center on Heafer Road. For a list of all meeting dates and locations, click here.
For a copy of the June 13 meeting agenda, click here.
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