Louisville mayor looks for external review of LMPD. Police union calls him a ‘goof’
After two officer-involved shooting deaths, the firing of a police chief and the use of force on protesters, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has requested proposals for an external “top-to-bottom” review of the Louisville Metro Police Department.
The review will focus on training on use of force and bias-free policing, as well as accountability, supervision and community engagement, among other areas, Fischer said.
The review will also find “any obstacles” in the way of implementing changes, Fischer said.
“To make sure that we have the right approach and the right systems in place for law enforcement and the type of police-community trust and legitimacy that we need, you have to take a look at our policies, procedures and structure of our police department to ensure that they align with the values and goals our entire community,” Fischer said Wednesday.
Fischer said he was making the announcement in conjunction with interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder.
After Fischer’s announcement, the River City Fraternal Order of Police said he was a “goof.” The remark was made in one of several tweets that have since been deleted. The River City Fraternal Order of Police is the Louisville lodge of the largest professional police organization in the country, according to the union’s website.
“Hey goof, we are guardians.... Stop dividing the good people of this city,” the group said in a tweet. “There are SO MANY. Your divisive and destructive rhetoric is not helping anything.”
The River City FOP’s first response to the request for proposals said that Fischer’s administration was corrupt.
“Maybe @louisvillemayor should put out an RFP to review his corrupt administration that cares about NO ONE in this city,” the group said. “@louisvillemayor may pretend to be compassionate, but he’s allowing good people of all races and neighborhoods to be victimized by violent criminals.”
The union added to its original tweet.
“Last night as officers tried to respond to those calling for help, they were shot at, again and again,” the River City FOP said in a tweet. “Police are here to help & WANT to help but cannot do that when they are vilified by their own mayor! More would trust us if they weren’t being told not to by @louisvillemayor.”
LMPD has been criticized in recent weeks after officers shot and killed Breonna Taylor in her apartment back in March. Officers from the department — along with National Guard members — were also involved in a shooting that killed David McAtee Monday. Some have also questioned the department’s use of force against demonstrators protesting the deaths of both Taylor and McAtee.
Protesters have taken to the streets the last several days to condemn those deaths. Some of the protests have turned violent. Seven people were shot by someone in the crowd of protesters Thursday night, Louisville police said.
In addition to criticizing the mayor, the Fraternal Order of Police also earlier slammed a judge who released Taylor’s boyfriend to home incarceration when he was charged with attempted murder. The charge was later dropped after it was widely disclosed that three Louisville officers busted into Taylor’s residence overnight on a no-knock warrant and shot her eight times. No drugs were found, and the man sought lived elsewhere, according to court records. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought someone was breaking in and fired in self-defense, his attorney successfully argued, striking one of the three Louisville officers in the leg. He recovered.
Releasing Walker, the FOP said, was a “slap in the face to everyone wearing a badge” and has endangered the public, the Courier-Journal reported in March.
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 3:16 PM.