Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel named Louisville police chief. Here's how we got here | Timeline

Eleanor McCrary and Josh Wood, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·4 min read

Mayor Craig Greenberg has removed the interim tag from Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel's title after conducting a nationwide search to find a permanent leader of Louisville Metro Police.

Since Breonna Taylor was killed in a botched March 2020 LMPD raid, five people have served as either the permanent or interim police chief.

Here's a timeline of how we got here:

March 13, 2020: Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black emergency room technician, is killed in an LMPD drug raid on her apartment. Taylor's boyfriend fires his gun in response to what he said he thought were intruders. Police return fire, killing Taylor. No drugs are found.

May 21, 2020: Then-Chief Steve Conrad announces his retirement after serving as LMPD's leader for eight years. His last day is set for June 30 and the search for a new chief begins. Deputy Chief Robert Schroeder plans to take over as interim chief starting July 1.

Interim Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, left, made remarks after Mayor Craig Greenberg announced that she has been selected as the permanent chief of the LMPD following a nationwide search in Louisville, Ky. on July 20, 2023.
Interim Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, left, made remarks after Mayor Craig Greenberg announced that she has been selected as the permanent chief of the LMPD following a nationwide search in Louisville, Ky. on July 20, 2023.

May 28, 2020: Mass protests erupt in Louisville after audio of a 911 call made by Taylor's boyfriend is published by The Courier Journal.

June 1, 2020: Fischer fires Conrad after learning that officers at the scene of the fatal shooting of YaYa's BBQ owner David McAtee did not have their body cameras turned on. Fischer describes this as being an "institutional failure" and says "an immediate change in leadership is required." LMPD officers and Kentucky National Guard troops were in Louisville's West End enforcing a curfew amid the protests. Schroeder becomes interim chief a month earlier than initially expected.

Sept. 7, 2020: Yvette Gentry is named LMPD's interim chief, becoming the first woman to lead the department.

Jan. 6, 2021: Mayor Greg Fischer appoints Erika Shields as LMPD chief. Her hiring announcement draws sharp criticism from some members of the Louisville community outraged that she was hired after leaving the Atlanta Police Department following the police killing of Rayshard Brooks.

April 26, 2021: The Department of Justice announces a wide-ranging investigation into LMPD.

Nov. 8, 2022: Greenberg defeats Republican Bill Dieruf in the mayoral election.

Nov. 21, 2022: Greenberg announces that Erika Shields will step down as Louisville Metro Police chief when the new administration takes office at the start of 2023. He says that his search for a permanent police chief will begin "immediately" and that he hopes to appoint someone before he is sworn in.

Dec. 9, 2022: Greenberg appoints then-Deputy Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel to be interim police chief. Gwinn-Villaroel was Shields' second in command at LMPD before she stepped down. The two worked together in Atlanta and Gwinn-Villaroel followed her to Louisville.

Interim Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, left, shook hands with Mayor Craig Greenberg after he announced that she has been selected as the permanent chief of the LMPD following a nationwide search in Louisville, Ky. on July 20, 2023.
Interim Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, left, shook hands with Mayor Craig Greenberg after he announced that she has been selected as the permanent chief of the LMPD following a nationwide search in Louisville, Ky. on July 20, 2023.

Jan. 11, 2023: The Courier Journal reports that Gwinn-Villaroel is interested in applying for the permanent chief position.

March 8, 2023: The DOJ releases a 90-page report on LMPD, finding that the force has engaged in unconstitutional policing, discriminates against Black people and uses excessive force. The city and DOJ say they have agreed in principle to negotiate a consent decree.

April 11, 2023: Connor Sturgeon opens fire at Old National Bank, killing five people and injuring eight others. LMPD officers respond within minutes and kill Sturgeon. Gwinn-Villaroel said officers "did not hesitate" while on patrol when the call came in at 8:38 a.m. Officer Nickolas Wilt is hospitalized after being shot in the head.

June 28, 2023: Greenberg sets a timeline for when he estimates to hire a permanent police chief, saying that it will be announced "by the end of July." He confirms that Gwinn-Villaroel is a candidate for the position, but refuses to name any other applicants.

June 30, 2023: Greenberg announces the creation of a seven-person advisory board that will "assist in interviews for permanent LMPD Chief of Police." The board members were J. Michael Brown, State Rep. Keturah Herron, Rebecca Grignon Reker, Councilwoman Paula McCraney, Rev. Corrie Shull, Ryan Nichols and Kungu Njuguna.

July 7, 2023: The Courier Journal discovers that all members of Greenberg's interview advisory panel were required to sign nondisclosure agreements.

July 9, 2023: The Louisville NAACP branch releases a statement openly criticizing Greenberg's decision to keep the police chief finalists a secret. Raoul Cunningham, the president of the Louisville NAACP, says that "Greenberg's credibility is on the line with this decision, which may be the most important one he makes during his administration."

Interim Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, right, hugged retired LMPD officer Steven M. Kelsey after she was announced as the permanent chief of the LMPD following a nationwide search in Louisville, Ky. on July 20, 2023.
Interim Louisville Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, right, hugged retired LMPD officer Steven M. Kelsey after she was announced as the permanent chief of the LMPD following a nationwide search in Louisville, Ky. on July 20, 2023.

July 19, 2023: A statement from the Mayor's Office says that a "significant announcement about LMPD leadership" will be made by Mayor Craig Greenberg, his deputy mayors and the members of his LMPD police chief advisory committee at noon on July 20 in Metro Hall.

July 20, 2023: Greenberg announces that he has selected interim police chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, who beat out 18 other candidates to become the permanent LMPD chief.

Reach reporter Eleanor McCrary at EMcCrary@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @ellie_mccrary.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: TIMELINE: Greenberg names new LMPD police chief. How we got here