Amid declining applicant rates , a steep officer shortage and frequent leadership turnover within Louisville Metro Police , Chief Paul Humphrey underscored the importance of gaining officer trust in his leadership just two months into his interim position.
"(Officers) need to know that they have a voice in how their police department operates," Humphrey said.
For nearly an hour, Humphrey fielded questions from members of the Civilian Review and Accountability Board on Wednesday, with topics ranging from consent decree negotiations to officer accountability.
At the meeting, held at the Shawnee Public Library, Humphrey said a significant part of his interim tenure has been dedicated to speaking about LMPD's culture rather than the department's police work in the community.
"We're the product of a series of crises," said Humphrey, the sixth person to lead the department since June 2020.
This year alone, LMPD received national scrutiny for the high-profile arrest of professional golfer Scottie Scheffler; the department's former chief resigned amid an investigation into how she handled a sexual harassment allegation ; and several officers have been arrested — the most recent being Javar Downs , who was charged with theft by unlawfully taking more than $1,000.
When asked by board member Jennifer Green about his plans to grow and maintain internal trust following rapid leadership changes, Humphrey emphasized his nearly two decades at the department while also noting much of his work in sharpening officer performance lies ahead.
Chief's plans to earn officers' trust
Humphrey has a lengthy history in leadership since he first joined LMPD in 2006. Before becoming assistant chief in 2021, he previously commanded the organization’s SWAT team and later directed officer recruitment and training.
While Humphrey has an advantage of credibility within the department due to that history, he acknowledged he hasn't performed hands-on police work in several years.
"This game has changed drastically since I was on the street," Humphrey said.
Because of that, Humphrey said he has emphasized speaking directly with officers of all ranks so they can share their experiences, including potential issues or frustrations.
"I have to show up, I have to be present. I have to listen and be honest," Humphrey said.
Officer accountability within LMPD
As deputy chief, Humphrey oversaw the Accountability and Improvement Bureau, which was created with an eye on reform amid a U.S. Department of Justice investigation following the 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor.
Now in his new role, Humphrey said it's still a key part of his responsibilities to ensure officers understand departmental rules and standards of conduct.
"There are things that I did when I rode the beat that we will absolutely not let officers do today," Humphrey said, such as mistakes he wished a supervisor or peer would have corrected him for or conduct that had once been allowed but is no longer accepted in the department.
"We're really very good at telling people what to do," Humphrey added. "We're less comfortable with telling each other what to do."
Humphrey said he is not going to let any misconduct perpetuate — whether it's one officer's behavior or the department's culture as a whole.
"I am not doing an officer a disservice by letting them do something just because I did it before," Humphrey said. "We all learn and grow from our mistakes. We need to learn and grow from that generationally."
Humphrey added he seeks to cultivate a culture of high performers with high standards within the department.
"There's a lot of people on the LMPD that have desired that for a long time, and they just haven't felt the support or the drive from elsewhere to be able to do that," Humphrey said.
Reach reporter Rachel Smith at rksmith@courierjournal.com or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: LMPD chief addresses officer accountability, trust after 'series of crises'
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