Louisville Urban League discusses LMPD contract negotiations; presents recommendations

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - CEO of the Louisville Urban League, Dr. Kish Cumi Price, joined leaders from the 490 Project and VOCAL KY to present their collective bargaining agreement for police officers and sergeants Monday.

Price read examples of officer misconduct presented in the Department of Justice Investigation into Louisville Metro Police Department.

”An LMPD officer ordered his dog to black bite a Black 14-year-old, even though he was not resisting,” Price said. “The officer was leading his dog to search for a person suspected of a home invasion.”

Organizers said many of these recommendations have been made in previous years, but just about all of them are now rooted in the findings of the DOJ’s most recent investigation.

Examples of the more than 20 recommendations include giving Metro government the right to relieve an officer of duty if body cameras are intentionally turned off during an encounter with a citizen.

Another recommendation includes revising assignment requirements for officers and increasing incentives to ensure more police live in the community they serve.

”We have to understand that that is the reality,” Price said. “That they actually feel justified in doing what they are doing because they see Black people as threats, period. I mean, you cannot read through this without coming to that conclusion.”

Leaders also called for improving community engagement in violent crime reduction measures, improving policies pertaining to protests, and improving coordination between Metrosafe and the crisis line.

LMPD’s current collective bargaining agreements were approved in December and expire this June.

Louisville Urban League said they’re pushing for the public to be invited to negotiations, although Mayor Craig Greenberg has denied that request.

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