LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) – Louisville Metro Police Department Lieutenant Jimmy Harper filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the city of Louisville on June 18.
In the lawsuit, it states around December 2016 the Louisville-Jefferson County Metropolitan Government experienced a $6 million surplus and the Louisville Metro Government allotted $1.2 million for immediate use for Violent Crime Reduction (VCR). Soon after that, the money was being spent at a fast pace without strategy from Chief Steve Conrad’s office, the lawsuit alleges.
Harper, who was a LMPD major at this time, questioned the use of the funds and tried to create a strategy for the Second Division’s use, but was overruled. He informed Metro council members about how the money was being spent and with an absence of strategy, the lawsuit states.
It was on May 24, 2017, that Conrad told Harper he was being given a choice of retiring or being demoted to lieutenant, Harper claims in the lawsuit. Harper accepted the demotion and on May 26 Haper was demoted from Second Division Commander, Police Major, to Lieutenant in command of the River Patrol.
The lawsuit alleges Harper was subjected to retaliation and reprisal by being asked to choose retirement or a demotion.
Harper is seeking damages for the loss of income, embarrassment, humiliation and mental anguish.
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