LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville's interim police chief is addressing claims about the issues within LMPD, made nonother than by the former chief herself.
On Tuesday, WHAS11 obtained the scathing resignation letter Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel sent to Mayor Craig Greenberg on June 25, where she offers insight into what she believes is holding the department back.
In the lengthy letter, she writes that her greatest challenge at the end of her tenure was "an invasive presence of professional and ethical apathy that was counterproductive to morale..."
"I think that's her opinion and she's entitled to it. I think the men and women here are very, very ethically driven. We want to do the right thing, and I'm part of that," LMPD Interim Chief Paul Humphrey told WHAS11. "I'm part of this organization and this agency and understand the push for progress that's been here for a long time."
Gwinn-Villaroel also went on to put some responsibility on "certain members of leadership" with regards to "longstanding cultural deficiencies" permeating the agency.
"It's always leadership. It should be us that has the responsibility and takes the fault for when things go wrong. That's what leadership is about," Humphrey said. "My job is to make officers understand what is expected of them, and then give them the tools to do it. If they don't have those tools to do it, and they don't perform at a high level, that's on me."
WHAS11 sat down with Humphrey for a one-on-one interview, asking what makes him uniquely qualified to take over the job.
"I'll actually be the first chief, from inside the organization directly. Every chief we've had has either been from the outside or gone away and returned. So to be part of this organization right now, and being part of the people here right now, I think it uniquely positions me to connect with them in ways that may have been difficult in the past," he said.
Humphrey talked about his mission to change the culture within the department, one that's seen multiple sexual harassment allegations and lawsuits just over the last couple weeks -- culminating in Gwinn-Villaroel's resignation.
"This city rides on the police department. I'm responsible for this police department," Humphrey said. "We have to get this right. We don't have a choice but to get this right. I don't believe in lost causes."
As to whether he intends to put his hat in the ring for the chief position long term, Humphrey said the city will cross that bridge when it gets there.
"I'm going to be here for years to come," he told WHAS11. "Regardless of what role I'm in, I'm going to be here to make sure that we do things the best way we can."
If you'd like to watch the full-length interview, where Humphrey discusses other topics like the changing landscape of Louisville's gangs and violent crime, click here.
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