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Louisville police chief, business leaders address downtown safety

Taking downtown back. That's LMPD's promise to the business leaders in the area. They both push back on the idea that downtown is unsafe.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Crime is down in downtown. That's according to Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel. 

"I'm happy to say that," she said, optimistic about Louisville's core. 

The chief also weighed in on the business impact downtown has on the rest of the city, saying it benefits everyone. 

Increased mounted patrols are part of the department's ongoing effort making downtown safer. They're closing the recruiting gap too, needing 250 officers now down from the previous estimate of 350. 

"We need to do a better job of that," the chief said. "And I'm here to ensure I'm a part of that process. And so again, that's where we are in the city and that's my mindset. But we need to make sure we are back downtown and taking it over."

Taking downtown back. That's LMPD's promise to the business leaders in the area. They both push back on the idea that downtown is unsafe. 

Credit: Ian Hardwitt, WHAS11
Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel (left) and Rebecca Fleischaker (right) speaking at a Greater Louisville Inc. event.


"We have a very cool, very safe, very authentic downtown, that not every city gets to brag about," Rebecca Fleischaker said. She's the top leader for Louisville Downtown Partnership and points out the majority of crime in the city core is non-violent. 

LMPD data showed, in the last year, 444 crimes took place in downtown—with the boundary inside the waterfront and Broadway, and between 9th Street and I-65. Out of those 444 crimes, 158 were assaults with 32 of them with a weapon. This is on top of 83 thefts and 60 burglaries.

Credit: LexisNexis Community Crime Map
The boundaries WHAS11 used to look at LMPD crime data.
Credit: LexisNexis Community Crime Map
Chart and heatmap showing LMPD's downtown crime data from March 1, 2023, to Feb 29, 2024.



LMPD's numbers also reveal most downtown crime occurs Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. 

To address it, the Downtown Partnership, with money from Humana and the city, doubled their uniformed ambassadors from 18 to 36. They patrol the streets from 7 a.m. to midnight, every day of the week.

While tourism is driving most business to downtown, even the chief admits a larger local presence could help. 

"They want to know, what is the nightlife of downtown. And so we have to create that atmosphere," she said.

At 4th and Chestnut, late night slice legend Spinelli's is reviving downtown's midnight-hour atmosphere. They serve pizza until 5 a.m.

Abbie White, the co-owner, showed us their new no-stage music venue behind a walk-in freezer, complete with a disco ball. They're famous locally for providing an all-ages, safe environment for Louisville musicians. 

"We're just trying to fill in a gap where there is people that are looking for food. The hotels are around here, tourists are around here. So we've made it all-inclusive. Family dining. And then also late night dining. If you've been drinking, you can come get fed. There's room for everybody here," she said.

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