Community gives their input on the search for LMPD’s new chief

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The search for the new chief at the Louisville Metro Police Department is on.

On Monday, the community got to share what qualities they want to see in the next chief.

The virtual meeting was the first of two where the public can give their input on what they are hoping to see from the next chief of police.

It comes after an online survey that was released by Mayor Craig Greenberg, which received 1,100 responses.

There will be a lot of eyes on the next LMPD chief. A lot of people say they have lost faith and trust in Louisville’s police force, and the next chief will have the daunting task of trying to rebuild that relationship.

“Our incoming police chief has to know that Louisville has a horrible history of police corruption,” said one person.

The city is partnering with Public Sector Search and Consulting to find the new chief.

Justin Doll is a senior consultant and hosted the meeting. He was the police chief in Anchorage, Alaska for 25 years.

“We’re a search firm that does nationwide searches for police chiefs,” Doll said. “We only do police chiefs, we don’t do any other positions. Everyone that works at the firm is a retired police chief.”

In the meeting, people outlined what they wanted to see, from the process to qualities.

“The last mayoral administration, the Fischer administration, all the processes was in the dark,” one person said. “We were all left in the dark.”

“Accountability,” said another. “Someone that is willing to hold officers accountable.”

Greenberg appointed Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel as interim chief earlier this year.

Both of them have attended forums and meetings to try and repair some of the trust that has been broken over the years.

“I do like that we have a Black woman as chief,” one person said. “But that power and that corruption and the things that people have been dealing with for many, many years cannot be resolved with a white person or a black person or anybody if there isn’t real intentionality on building those community relationships in a genuine way.”

The next virtual town hall will be on Saturday, May 20 at 3 p.m.

To participate via Zoom, click or tap here. The meeting ID is 848 2667 8343 and the passcode is 791792.

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