LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, who has served as Louisville Metro’s police chief for nearly a year, has resigned.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg made the announcement Tuesday during a media briefing centered on LMPD.
Gwinn-Villaroel's resignation comes amid her handling of a sexual harassment allegation which was made by an LMPD employee against another who was up for a promotion. The mayor put her on paid administrative leave as a result of her mishandling of the investigation.
Within a week, two different lawsuits were filed by women LMPD officers accusing other officers of sexual harassment, including one stating a lieutenant propositioned her at a pool party and that his wife, also an LMPD employee, was "grossly inappropriate" at work.
Greenberg said sexual harassment would not be tolerated and announced that LMPD 18-year veteran and acting Chief Paul Humphrey will serve as interim chief for the foreseeable future.
“Interim Chief Humphrey is fully empowered to make the decisions necessary to reduce gun violence, improve public safety, manage the department, take disciplinary action and implement the policy and priority changes we agree are necessary, particularly surrounding sexual harassment and police misconduct,” Mayor Greenberg said. He thanked Gwinn-Villaroel for her service and continued, “The people of Louisville expect all of us in public service to work together with integrity to make our city safer, stronger and healthier, and I am confident Interim Chief Humphrey and his team at LMPD will do that.”
Humphrey is the sixth interim or permanent police chief overseeing the Louisville Metro Police Department in the last four years.
Greenberg and Humphrey said there will be immediate changes to LMPD's sexual harassment policies and procedures.
Most of those changes are focused on clearly defining sexual harassment, improving and expanding the reporting process, requiring new training, and adding support for employees who report sexual harassment.
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LMPD officers will also have new ways of reporting sexual harassment. Officers would normally go through chain of command, the chief's office, the Special Investigations Division or the Office of the Inspector General. There are now options outside of the department including the Metro Government ethics tipline or Metro Government's human resources department.
“Let me be abundantly clear: LMPD will not tolerate sexual harassment. We are implementing significant policy updates. We have begun enhanced training and are revising and improving our reporting and handing processes,” added Humphrey. “Additionally, a variety of support systems are available for employee wellness including through our Summit Wellness Center. We are committed to accountability and fostering a safe work environment that is welcoming where all employees feel comfortable and secure.”
Greenberg said Humphrey will be the acting chief for the foreseeable future and there would not be a search for a permanent chief at this time.
Gwinn-Villaroel lasted just 11 months in the permanent role. She's someone the mayor once said he had full trust in and that she had "exactly what our community" was looking for in a leader.
Greenberg also disclosed Gwinn-Villaroel will receive four months of additional pay to assist with the transition.
In the news conference, Humphrey said the department has had "too many self-inflicted wounds over the years."
"The men and women who work here are really, really good people. They are good hearted people who signed up to serve. We as a command staff are going to do everything in our power to make them proud to be part of this department," Humphrey said.
When WHAS11 asked what Humphrey can tell the community to convince them that the culture will truly change under his leadership, he answered, "I've been here before; not in the position as chief, but I've been in front of you plenty of times.
"And I think everyone in this room can trust that what I've said, I've done. I have no problem admitting where I've come up short. And I have no problem putting in work to make sure that things improve."
Also in the news conference, the mayor and interim chief revealed LMPD Maj. Brian Kuriger, along with husband and wife Lt. Jeff Lauder and Maj. Shannon Lauder, have all been put on administrative leave pending active investigations.
Who was Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel?
Gwinn-Villaroel was a familiar face to the department. She joined LMPD in 2021 and was appointed as deputy chief under former Chief Erika Shields.
During the search for a new chief, Gwinn-Villaroel was promoted to serve as interim in January 2023 shortly after Craig Greenberg won his election to become Louisville’s next mayor.
At the time, the department had remained under scrutiny for its lack of transparency and its handling of a botched raid that ended with a police shooting and the death of Breonna Taylor in March 2020.
Gwinn-Villaroel said her goals were to drive down violent crime, moving the department forward and dismantling the walls of distrust she believed had taken over the city.
Greenberg had said Gwinn-Villaroel had been what the city had been looking for in a leader and even cited her compassion and handling of the Old National Bank tragedy in April 2023.
She was promoted to the top post in July 2023.
Her appointment to the department was historic, she became the first Black woman chief to lead the department.
Gwinn-Villaroel is credited with reducing vacancies in the department, launching LMPD’s first Non-fatal Shooting Unit, expanding the Crisis Call Diversion Program and opening LMPD’s Wellness Center.
Her policing career spans 25 years including much of it with the Atlanta Police Department.
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