Mayor Craig Greenberg has confirmed Louisville will continue reforming its police department despite the Trump administration’s decision to halt the federal plan addressing deep-rooted issues.
The Department of Justice recently withdrew its lawsuit against Louisville, which was meant to lead to a formal consent decree addressing years of police misconduct. While this is a setback, city leaders say they remain committed to moving forward independently. Greenberg announced Louisville is advancing its “Community Commitment” initiative, including appointing an independent monitor, encouraging community input and maintaining the original goals of the federal agreement.
Police Chief Paul Humphrey highlighted progress so far, including revising over 260 policies, restructuring leadership and increasing mental health resources for officers.
“The Louisville Metro Police Department is committed to continuous improvement,” he said. “We recognized the value of meaningful reforms early on and have already made significant progress in several areas. Our priority is to continue building trust with the community we serve, because a strong, safe Louisville depends on accountability, transparency, and collaboration.”
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However, groups like the ACLU of Kentucky warn Louisville must follow through on its promises. Corey Shapiro, legal director of the ACLU of Kentucky, said, “Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) has a systemic, long-term, and ongoing problem of unconstitutional policing and lack of transparency. The consent decree was an opportunity to repair some of the broken trust between LMPD and the community. While we understand Louisville will implement a voluntary version of that consent decree, Louisville Metro Government and LMPD must begin the hard work of demonstrating, through transparency and accountability, that they will do what is right, even without the federal government’s involvement.”
After the DOJ’s withdrawal, the ACLU launched the Seven States Safety Campaign, requesting public records from Louisville and other cities with documented police misconduct to keep reform efforts on track.
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta, deputy project director on policing at the ACLU, said, “The DOJ under Biden found police were wantonly assaulting people and that it wasn’t a problem of ‘bad apples’ but of avoidable, department-wide failures. By turning its back on police abuse, Trump’s DOJ is putting communities at risk, and the ACLU is stepping in because people are not safe when police can ignore their civil rights.”
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Congressman Morgan McGarvey called the DOJ’s decision “morally lacking” but praised Louisville’s commitment to reform.
“I am appalled and deeply disappointed by the Trump administration’s decision to abandon Louisville’s consent decree and undermine years of hard work by our community, law enforcement, and city officials,” he said. “Despite the Trump DOJ’s short-sightedness and lack of moral clarity, I share Mayor Greenberg and Chief Humphrey’s commitment to implementing reforms to keep our city safe, including real transparency and accountability and an independent monitor empowered to conduct meaningful oversight. While Trump is playing politics and undermining our nation’s fight for racial justice and civil rights, we will continue working to ensure everyone in Louisville is and feels safe.”
Ohio State University researchers and the new Community Safety Commission will help monitor reform progress without federal involvement. Mayor Greenberg said, “We are embracing this opportunity to make LMPD one of the country’s most respected and transparent police departments. To the men and women of LMPD, thank you for your commitment to this community and the job you do every day to keep our community safe. I know you are committed to doing your jobs the right way and continuing to build a department that earns trust with the people we serve. And to our community, thank you for pushing us forward to implement these reforms, building community trust, and working with us to build an even safer, stronger, and healthier Louisville.”
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This article appears in May 9-22, 2025.