By Drew Gardner, WLKY
Mayor Craig Greenberg and interim Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroe apologized for the past ‘abuses of public trust’ committed by the city and LMPD.
“It’s unacceptable. And it’s inexcusable,” Greenberg said.
The mayor’s remarks came Monday night during Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together’s annual action assembly. Each year the group of faith leaders and community members holds an action assembly where local officials are asked to pledge support for solutions to key issues impacting the city.
During his speech, Greenberg referenced the recent Department of Justice report as an indication of all the work left to be done to improve community relations with LMPD. The lengthy report is full of data and specific examples to catalog a pattern of civil rights violations by officers.
“It hurts to hear about specific examples of abuse cited in this report. Particularly cases of abuse against Black and brown members of our community, as well as women and people with disabilities. These abuses are committed by people who are supposed to serve and protect them,” Greenberg said.
The interim chief also acknowledged the impacts of those who ‘tarnished the badge.’
“I acknowledge the pain caused by those who did not respect the law enforcement profession. Those who decided to act in a manner contrary to their oath of office have had a detrimental impact on this community,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.
The overall theme for this year’s assembly was “From Childhood Through Adulthood: Building a City of Justice.”
During last year’s assembly CLOUT called for a coalition led by the Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods and the UofL Department of Criminal Justice to be developed to conduct a gap assessment of all of the violence prevention groups currently working throughout the city.
It explored how various entities might be able to work together for more effective results and to assess what may be missing from the city’s collective response.
The results of that assessment will be presented at a violence prevention summit being held at the Muhammad Ali Center Tuesday.
Greenberg pledged to meet with members of CLOUT to discuss those results within the next 30 days and give a progress report at CLOUT’s Community Problems Assembly on Oct. 30.
CLOUT also asked Greenberg to expand the Crisis Call Diversion Program , which helps deflect calls from people with behavioral health issues away from police to other resources that can more effectively respond. Currently, the program only operates from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Greenberg agreed to expand the program to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within a year.
The other pledges include:
- Hiring a researcher to conduct a fact-finding study into the history of policing in Louisville.
- Supporting the Office of Equity in conducting a community-wide listening process, working with CLOUT congregations.
- Working with CLOUT to develop specific policy and procedural changes coming out of the Truth and Transformation process.
“We’re taking on a problem that is historic and systemic. The painful record of prejudice and injustice is part of the history of virtually all of our institutions, government, education, business, banking, housing, and more– including law enforcement. We have to acknowledge, accept and learn from this history,” Greenberg said.
For more information about CLOUT’s other calls for action, click here.
View the original story here.
