Nine new LMDC officers sworn in

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The Louisville Metro Department of Corrections welcomed nine new officers to their department Wednesday.

Graduating class 131 was sworn in at Metro Hall after completing nine weeks of rigorous training. Because of the pandemic, this was the first time in almost two years that graduation was able to be in person.

Four of the nine officers are veterans and five had previous corrections experience.

“We have been blunt with you guys from the beginning on the situation that is going on in the jail,” LMDC Captain Gene Llaguno said to the new recruits. “You guys have been committed. You guys stood through it, every day. You told me you don’t care how it is there, we are ready to make a change.”

Mayor Fischer also mentioned the string of in-custody deaths in the past months. Six people have died in Metro Corrections since last November. Three of those were people who tried to commit suicide.

Salaries for the officers rose 27% this year.