Public Safety Committee

601 W. Jefferson Street Louisville Metro Government Louisville, KY 40202 Action Summary - Final Public Safety Committee Chair Jessica Green (D-1) Vice Chair James Peden (R-23) Committee Member Barbara Shanklin (D-2) Committee Member Mark H. Fox (D-13) Committee Member Marilyn Parker (R-18) Committee Member Nicole George (D-21) Committee Member Madonna Flood (D-24) Wednesday, February 3, 2021 2:30 PM Council Chambers/Virtual THIS IS CONSIDERED A SPECIAL MEETING Call to Order Chair Green called the meeting to order at 2:33 p.m. Roll Call Chair Green introduced the committee members and non-committee members present. A quorum was established. *NOTE: All committee members and non-committee members present attended virtually. Present: 7- Chair Jessica Green (D-1), Committee Member Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Committee Member Mark H. Fox (D-13), Committee Member Marilyn Parker (R-18), Committee Member Nicole George (D-21), Vice Chair James Peden (R-23), and Committee Member Madonna Flood (D-24) Non-Committee Member(s) Council Member Jecorey Arthur (D-4), Council Member Donna Purvis (D-5), Council President David James (D-6), Council Member Paula McCraney (D-7), Council Member Cassie Chambers Armstrong (D-8), Council Member Kevin Triplett (D-15), and Council Member Scott Reed (R-16) Support Staff Alice Lyon, Jefferson County Attorney's Office Clerk(s) Cheryl Woods, Assistant Clerk Sonya Harward, Clerk Louisville Metro Government Page 1 Public Safety Committee Action Summary - Final February 3, 2021 Special Discussion 1. ID 21-0058 Chief Erika Shields, Louisville Metro Police Department’s New Chief The following spoke to this item: - Erika Shields, Louisville Metro Police Department - Chair Green - Committee Member Fox - Council Member McCraney - Council Member Triplett - Council Member Chambers Armstrong - Council Member Arthur - Council Member Reed - Committee Member George - Committee Member Parker - Committee Member Shanklin - Council President James The following was discussed: - Report from Hillard Heintze embodies a number of the challenges that the Louisville Metro Police Department is facing - Questions and Concerns of how to make adjustments and modifications within Louisville Metro Police Department so that it is performing at a higher level in a number of different areas - There is a enormous amount of work to do, especially in the black community - There is a lack of trust between the police and the Black community - Change is needed in real-time within Louisville Metro Police Department - Question and concerns of how to increase the ranks of Black officers into leadership - Currently only 12% of Louisville Metro Police Department officers are Black - There is currently one Black lieutenant within Louisville Metro Police Department - Louisville Metro Police Department is at the recruit level of getting Black officers - When Black officers are at the level to take promotional exams they will be given the chance - Question about what will be the top priority to regain trust in the community - The Hillard Heintze report on traffic stops show there is racial profiling occurring - Question about how to get people to apply for Louisville Metro Police Department with the high crime level - Question whether to consider opening up lateral promotions - Lateral promotions are usually modified programs to allow the Louisville Metro Police Department to bring in people from other departments - There are 40 ex-police officers who would like to come back to Louisville Metro Police Department - Questions about addressing gang crimes - Louisville Metro Police Department will be going after illegal guns on the streets and individuals involved in violent crimes to start to change the Louisville Metro Government Page 2 Public Safety Committee Action Summary - Final February 3, 2021 narrative of the community - Gang members recruit young people, because they know that if a juvenile is caught there will be less consequences for the juvenile - Geographically, the west end of Louisville has the highest crimes rates - Chief Shields will be meeting with all 26 Metro Council Members - Question about tools that are effective for discipling officers and requiring accountability - Question and concerns about why police policy is not consistent in all neighborhoods - Concerns about modifying what is done within the police department - There is a back-up of approximately 70 internal affairs files in Louisville Metro Police Department that have not been addressed - There is an internal affairs file that is 2 years old and the officer has had 3 incidents since then and has not been disciplined - Body camera footage gives an insight of what the officer is doing when not being watched - Question about what Louisville Metro Police Department will do about investing funds into preventing crimes - Jails are one of the most used mental health institutions so Louisville was looking at 2 programs they are core responder versus deflection model - Triage from 911 call to see if police are needed or case workers are needed - The goal for Louisville is to have programs that work - Question about how to ensure that Louisville Metro Police Department candidates are vetted to exclude anyone associated from white nationalism and white supremacist organizations - Question whether police officers who are involved in white supremacist causes can provide for public safety effectively - Before applicants are hired, their social media accounts are reviewed to see if they are affiliated with any hate organizations - There is zero tolerance for hate groups at Louisville Metro Police Department - Question whether there are inexperienced officers in supervisory positions - Federal Bureau of Investigations is coming to Louisville Metro Police Department to give leadership training - Mentorship and leadership is needed within the Louisville Metro Police Department - Heavy recruiting is needed locally - Louisville Metro Police Department has to be on the same pay scale as other police agencies - Question whether the cartel is recruiting the youth with social media like TikTok - The group violence intervention program will be used to get the guns from the youth and off the streets - Question whether it is known who turned off the computer that stores the files for the internal affairs internal audit system and if there is an investigation in place - Louisville Metro Police Department have some files that are backed-up for 3 years - Question whether there will be more done with cyber security and sexual assualt teams with the youth being at home and predators trying to lure them 2. ID 21-0102 Top-to-Bottom Review of Louisville Metro Police Department - Rob Davis, Hillard Heintze; and Lisa Jarrett Louisville Metro Government Page 3 Public Safety Committee Action Summary - Final February 3, 2021 Attachments: Hillard Heintze Report on the Louisville Metro Police Department - 01-27-21 - January 27 2021.pdf Robert Davis, Hillard Heintze, gave a presentation. The following spoke to this item: - Marcia Thompson, Hillard Heintze - Robert Boehmer, Hillard Heintze - Alexander Weiss, Hillard Heintze - Committee Member Fox - Chair Green - Council President James - Committee Member Parker - Vice Chair Peden The following was discussed: - 75% of Louisville Metro Police Officers would leave the department - Question about increasing moral within Louisville Metro Police Department - How the department is treating its officers weighs on the moral and you see the reflections - Low confidence can be seen in how officers are being treated transfers to how people are being treated on the streets - Leaders have to give the good messages not only internally but externally - Black residents of Louisville are twice as likely to be arrested - Black residents of Louisville are twice as likely to be stopped for traffic violations - Consent searches are equal across the board for Black and White residents - Louisville Metro Police Officers do not always fill out field contact cards when they make a field contact - Question about the Black community lack of trust of Police Officers - Louisville's White community who were surveyed expressed major concern on how they thought African American's in the community were being treated - Question about police supervisors requesting and approving warrants without and in-depth review - Before issuing a warrant, Louisville Metro Police Department has a protocol of seeking what kind of risk there is and must be shared with a supervisor, a commanding officer, swat team, or too a different unit to determine who would serve the warrant - Louisville Metro Police Department has a break down with warrants due to lack of following the policy for the purpose of the policy - 73% of homicides in Louisville last year where people of color - All areas that have high crimes are not just the Black communities - Louisville's South End and Churchill Downs areas have high crime - 22% of the people in the 5th District are Black - Question about crime control data and initiatives for addressing crimes in the Louisville area - Question concerning community policing and collaborating with social services - Louisville Metro Police Department is a member of the Major Cities Police Association - Major Cities Police Association has 3 meetings a year to talk about problems in the community Louisville Metro Government Page 4 Public Safety Committee Action Summary - Final February 3, 2021 - Metro Council gave the Louisville Metro Police Department a pay increase - Question about expanded data on carjackings not being included in the report Pending Legislation 3. R-005-21 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $1,200,000 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SUPPORTING MEDICALLY ASSISTED SUBSTANCE ABUSE INMATE TREATMENTS TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION. Sponsors:Primary Jessica Green (D-1) Attachments: R-005-21 V.1 012821 Medically Assisted Sub Abuse Inmates Treatment.pdf A motion was made by Chair Green, seconded by Committee Member Fox, that this Resolution be recommend for approval. Faith Augustine, Louisville Metro Criminal Justice Commission, spoke to this item. Committee Member George questioned whether the grants would be used as a phase approach to not only help with pregnant inmates who are on drugs getting treatment with methadone but to also expand and serve with additional treatments. The motion carried by a voice vote and the Resolution was sent to the Consent Calendar. 4. O-018-21 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 36 OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES (“LMCO”) RELATING TO THE CIVILIAN REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AND THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL BY CLARIFYING MEMBERSHIP AND THE COMPLAINT PROCESS. Sponsors:Primary Paula McCraney (D-7), Primary David James (D-6) and Primary Bill Hollander (D-9) Attachments: O-018-21 V.1 012821 Clarifying Membership and The Complaint Process.pdf A motion was made by Committee Member George, seconded by Vice Chair Peden, that this Ordinance be recommended for approval. Council Member McCraney stated that there is a couple of edits to this Ordinance one is that police officers can serve on the Civilian Review Board. She also stated that a police officers can issue a complaint against a fellow police officer and they would have to make the complaint with the Inspector General or with any member of the Civilian Review and Accountability Board. Alice Lyon, Jefferson County Attorney's Office, stated that the edits are for clarity and the power was already there. Louisville Metro Government Page 5 Public Safety Committee Action Summary - Final February 3, 2021 The motion carried by the following vote and the Ordinance was sent to the Consent Calendar: Yes: 7- Green, Shanklin, Fox, Parker, George, Peden, and Flood Adjournment Without objection, Chair Green adjourned the meeting at 4:28 p.m. Note: Items sent to the Consent Calendar or Old Business will be heard before the full Council at the Metro Council Meeting on February 11, 2021. Louisville Metro Government Page 6