LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was placed on administrative leave Wednesday due to her handling of a sexual harassment complaint made by LMPD Maj. Shannon Lauder.
WHAS11 obtained an audio recording Wednesday that sheds light on the sexual harassment allegation that led to Gwinn-Villaroel being placed on administrative leave. Jared Smith, Lauder's attorney, said Lauder retained his services before the recording was taken.
Smith addressed the recording Thursday and said Gwinn-Villaroel asked all the majors during a meeting on May 22, 2024, “Is there anybody within this command staff you cannot work with?” When called on, Lauder answered, “Ma’am, I cannot work with Maj. Brian Kuriger. He has sexually harassed me and attacked me. I cannot work with him.”
One minute later, the the chief announced a promotion for the accused man. “Your new lieutenant colonel will be Brian Kuriger,” she said. An LMPD spokesperson later confirmed with WHAS11 that Kuriger "was not officially promoted."
Lauder's attorney said this meeting lasted 15 minutes. She was not present due to illness, but joined remotely using WebEx and recorded the meeting.
RELATED: Recording sheds light on circumstances surrounding Louisville police chief's administrative leave
"While Major Lauder was exploring ways to report the complaint in a confidential way, she felt compelled to make her statement in front of her colleagues, due to the way she was put on the spot by the chief," Smith said. "Speak up or remain silent were her choices. The latter is an all-too-common occurrence among women who are harassed in the workplace."
He recalled a portion of the recording where the chief said, “I will not have a major that cannot get along and support another major because you all had an issue. That is over. And if you can’t do that, turn in your stuff to me today. I mean, turn it in today.”
"What we hear LMPD Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel say in this recording is deeply concerning as her tone toward her command staff is, in my opinion, aggressive and threatening. The environment does not feel welcoming or safe," Smith said. "Even more alarming is the way the chief responds to Maj. Shannon Lauder’s allegation that she would have an issue working with Maj. Brian Kuriger because she felt he had sexually harassed her.
Smith said he's in the process of investigating events that span the last four years.
"The chief’s response to Major Lauder’s allegation paints an unsettling picture of a department lacking strong leadership and failing to prioritize the well-being of its officers."
The attorney said they are currently looking into this situation and Lauder is taking time to "process what occurred and explore her options." He added that they are "encouraged" by the actions Greenberg has taken.
Before the recording was released, the mayor said the city "engaged" with the independent investigator, David Beyer, looking into the alleged sexual harassment. A spokesperson for Greenberg's office said the decision to place the chief on administrative leave was made before he heard the recording.
"Major Lauder has an impeccable reputation for building support among her officers through consensus, leadership and honesty," Smith said. "In fact, she is in the process of outlining a book she plans to author on effective leadership to help members of police command staff more effectively lead."
Lauder is a Louisville native and currently oversees the 1st Division. This area includes downtown, Portland and parts of the West End.
She has worked for LMPD for 16 years.
Watch the full news conference:
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