Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (Photo by Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE — Paul Humphrey will serve as the next Louisville Metro Police Department chief after filling the role on an interim basis since June.
His predecessor, Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, resigned in late June after being placed on administrative leave amid an investigation of her handling of sexual harassment allegations within the department.
“The sworn and professional staff of LMPD work tirelessly each day to make Louisville a safer city,” Humphrey, a University of Louisville graduate, said in a statement. “It is a tremendous honor to serve our residents, business community, and visitors.”
Paul Humphrey (Louisville Metro Police Department)
Humphrey, who lives in Louisville with his wife and three children, joined the police force in 2006 as a patrol officer and then worked as a patrol supervisor in four divisions, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg’s office. He became commander of the city’s SWAT team in 2017, “is credited with restructuring the SWAT Team, creating a new culture of improvement and accountability while managing the team’s training, tactical planning, and operating budget,” the mayor’s office said.
Humphrey has worked in several other LMPD roles. He also sits on the board of St. Xavier High School, where he attended, and Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, according to the mayor’s office.
Attorney General Russell Coleman said the appointment “has the potential to be the most impactful public safety decision made by a Metro Louisville Mayor during my time as Attorney General.”
“We look forward to zealous collaboration with Chief Humphrey and the essential agency he now leads to reduce violent crime, effectively implement Group Violence Intervention (GVI) and keep Louisville families safe,” Coleman said in a statement.
Greenberg called Humphrey “thoughtful, fair, and decisive.”
“He has earned my respect, and he has earned the respect and trust of this community, including the hardworking men and women of the Louisville Metro Police Department,” Greenberg said. “He understands the importance of community policing and he will demand accountability from his officers, his command staff, and himself. LMPD needs stability in its leadership, and I’m confident Chief Humphrey will bring that stability.”
Humphrey’s promotion follows several high-profile controversies in the department.
The department has had six leaders since 2020.That year, following the police killing of Breonna Taylor, Louisville saw months of protests. Taylor was a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot while police served a no-knock warrant. In 2024, police arrested professional golfer Scottie Scheffler during the PGA Championship. Those charges were later dismissed.
The City of Louisville earlier this year began negotiating a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice to correct civil rights violations by the LMPD.
This story may update.
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