LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In her letter of resignation, obtained by WHAS11, Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Commissioner Vicki Reed kept it short and to the point.
"I thank you for granting me the opportunity and for your support during my term," Reed wrote in the letter addressed to Gov. Andy Beshear, dated Nov. 14, 2023.
Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Reed will step down from her role leading a department that's suffered a tumultuous post-COVID era, with riots and fights breaking out inside youth jails across the state -- at times injuring officers. Gov. Beshear appointed Reed to the post in Aug. 2021.
In an interview with WHAS11 in January, Reed said the DJJ was "continually trying to do whatever we can" to house teenagers from Louisville in facilities closer to home, something families were calling for.
During her tenure, the DJJ was able to raise staff pay, secure new security equipment for corrections officers and launch an initiative to separate violent from non-violent teens -- and boys from girls.
But in that same period, a persistent shortage of staff and repeated attacks on law enforcement inside youth detention centers loomed large.
State Rep. Kevin Bratcher (R-Louisville), who's been an advocate for an overhaul of the DJJ, admits the issues don't all fall on Reed and Justice and Public Safety Cabinet leadership. He called the role of commissioner "a tough position."
However, he tells WHAS11 it was time for a change.
"The buck has to stop somewhere, and I think the commissioner and the cabinet have a lot to answer for," Bratcher said. "I know that there's been a spike in juvenile crime, and I know the theory is that there are kids who are much harder to manage than before, but they've had plenty of time to step up and fix a lot of this."
"With this new facility, it's a good time to be thinking about a new change," Bratcher said.
Bratcher told WHAS 11 Monday that he's skeptical it'll open by summer 2024, which was the timeline given. He believes it'll likely take longer to get the infrastructure inside ready to house teenagers again.
Meanwhile last week, Gov. Beshear thanked Reed for her service, saying "I know it hadn't been easy for Vicki Reed to push through, but every day she's shown up and tried to do her best, and I'm grateful for that."
In a statement, a Justice and Public Safety Cabinet spokesperson said they're actively searching for their next commissioner and are taking applications here.
As for the downtown Louisville Youth Detention Center, the spokesperson said the state is still in the initial phases of reopening the facility, which "has not been transferred to the commonwealth."
"A design firm is working on the renovation specifications and the estimated project cost will need to be included in the next enacted budget. Once funding has been allocated, an RFP will be issued for a construction contract. An estimated timeline [of when the facility will be reopened] cannot be determined until these conditions are met," they said.
In a separate statement, Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Kerry Harvey said, "Commissioner Vicki Reed’s vast experience in juvenile justice matters and her complete commitment to the youth in the Department of Juvenile Justice’s care have been vital in implementing long overdue positive changes in the department."
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