Metro leaders, department heads meet with community to try to build trust

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Mayor Craig Greenberg held his first “Mayor’s Night Out” at the Northeast Family YMCA in Lyndon.

Dozens came out to talk to Metro leaders and department heads, but not everyone there was there to show support to the government.

From the Air Pollution Control District to the Zoo, the departments that make up Louisville were all in one place.

“We really wanted to bring the city government out into the community,” Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

Greenberg and other elected leaders spent the evening shaking hands and meeting people to build relationships and trust.

“We want the entire community to have trust in its city government,” Greenberg said.

That might take some time.

The event comes a week after the DOJ released it’s report that outlines the history of discrimination from LMPD and the city.

Even in the wake of the report, Greenberg says meeting people face to face is critically important.

“As we talk about issues like department of Justice and what we’re doing to reform and improve LMPD,” Greenberg said. “Many members of LMPD are here tonight, available to speak with their community. Listen to their concerns and answer their questions.”

However, not everyone thinks fixing things is as easy as a handshake and a conversation.

“The real concern is that we take that old approach that there are a few bad apples and if we get rid of those, and that’ll fix things,” Carla Wallace of the Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice Campaign said. “We have a systemic problem here around the police and policing in Louisville.”

Wallace and others were outside the event protesting police violence.

“We really want that Department of Justice report taken seriously. And we know that’s not going to happen without public pressure,” Wallace said.

On Tuesday the mayor and the Office of the Inspector General reached an agreement to increase accountability and transparency of LMPD.

Greenberg said it’s a step in moving Louisville in a new direction.

There will be three more “Mayor’s Night Out” events this year.

Upcoming dates and locations are below:

• May 18 - South Louisville Community Center at 2911 Taylor Boulevard
• June 27 - Louisville Central Community Center at 1300 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard
• Sept. 12 - Jefferson County Government Center at 7201 Outer Loop #129

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