Systemic racism, Breonna Taylor and the DOJ report: a conversation with LMPD's new chief

Mayor Craig Greenberg announced last week his selection of former interim police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel to be the permanent chief of Louisville Metro Police.

The Courier Journal sat down with the newly appointed chief to ask how she will lead a department that has undergone national scrutiny and controversy over the last three years – from the police killing of Breonna Taylor to a Department of Justice investigation that found LMPD has violated the constitutional rights of the city's citizens, particularly those of Black people.

Here's what we asked and how she answered:

What is your philosophy on policing?

My philosophy on policing is being a professional. This is still a noble profession.

It is one that the community expects for us to conduct ourselves and to operate with a sense of compassion and serve those that truly need us. And so that's my philosophy. As I am a leader in this position now – in a permanent role – I see myself and I am a servant leader. And so I'm looking for my officers to truly serve the community, and do it with enthusiasm, do it with joy.

There's going to be some highs and some lows, but truly, this is still a noble profession.

When you were appointed to be the interim chief, I remember you saying that you would apply to be the permanent chief if you felt you were a right fit for the department. Obviously, you applied and you got it. What made you realize you were the right person to do this job over the last several months?

When I made that statement, initially, I was taking in everything: the new administration, the temperature of the department, the temperature of the community. And I wanted to make sure that it wasn't about Jackie, it wasn't about an ego-driven individual.

What does the city of Louisville need at this time? And so doing the job and continuing to move the department forward, I knew that I was the right fit for the job. I was hoping that the mayor would select me if it was his opinion that I was the right fit. And so here I am. I just really wanted to make sure that the community had the best person to be the police chief.

I know you spent a long time in Atlanta before this. What made you want to stay in Louisville? And do you have family that are going to be joining you here? Are they here already?

Why not Louisville? Louisville is a wonderful, beautiful place. Louisville is a family-oriented city. I have truly, quickly learned that it is about the high school you attend here in Louisville. And I have actually been embraced here since day one.

Louisville affords me the opportunity to help a department that truly wants to be better. It helps me to bridge those gaps within the community and build community trust.

And I'm really, really pleased that the community is so concerned and I say, "Hey, I have family coming."

And my husband and I – we've been doing this for two and a half years – and it works. It's fine! And so eventually, I'm hoping that he will come on board and come and be with me. But nonetheless, he knows what I need to do here and I wouldn't be able to do what I need to do without having his support. So again, we're in a good space and he is just cheering me on.

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If you could implement any policy automatically as the permanent police chief, what would it be?

One of my wishes would be that I can have a fully staffed department.

Those vacancies are really a concern of mine because I really want to ensure that the community truly gets the best service at all times. And we're doing it. We're making it happen.

But also to understand that my officers working the additional overtime and having that time to be able to be off with their family – which I truly support – and take that much-needed vacay right? To be able to rejuvenate and not get burnt out and continue to do the great work that I'm tasking them to do and that I expect for them to do.

So having more officers will really help to actually push some of those other additional initiatives that I want. Our community wants to see more officers, but they want the right officers. More community-building partnerships and sessions and forums - I'm able to do that if I had more officers. My community engagement unit does so much work all year long. (I want to give) them those additional officers to continue to expand upon that. So that would be one of those wish things that I could just immediately get: those 200+ officers in place, and continue to do the work that is needed here in the city.

When it comes to hiring officers, how are you going to attract reform-minded new candidates to the police force in the coming months?

Like I'm doing now, having this interview with you, and all the other media outlets. Because they're listening, they know exactly where I stand, what I'm standing for and exactly what I'm looking for. They understand that we want officers that truly want to be progressive, that truly understand that we are building upon and strengthening our community relationships and that we are looking to make changes within LMPD.

So the message has to be clear. And we're doing better within that space ... and we're looking for those reform-minded officers. We're looking for those officers that truly said, "I want to do policing in a different manner. But I want to do it the right way."

And so we encourage them to join. And I will add this: to every recruit class that comes on board the first day, when I'm able to address them I let them know - when they sit in that eager seat - and I remind them: I used to be there too, 26 years ago and never forget. But I always tell them, "We want you but we're not desperate."

Desperate means that we're going to take in any and everybody and that we will not hold each other accountable. And I said, "If you don't understand that, then I will support you leaving today."

That comes from me – and the community wouldn't know that – but it comes from me from day one, setting a tone that we want the brightest and the best individuals serving.

Have you read the DOJ report? And if so, what was the thing that stood out most to you in that report?

Absolutely, I read the DOJ report. I shouldn't be sitting here if I didn't.

When I read the DOJ report, it was glaring to me that there were some notable deficiencies. It was glaring to me that – and we said it before, and the DOJ has said before – that we had individuals that truly did not take their role in being a police officer seriously and to heart.

But what stood out to me is when the DOJ highlighted in their report that the vast majority of officers are doing the right thing and they're doing it every day.

So ... that gives you hope. That gives you optimism that we can actually rebuild from these unfortunate and uncomfortable situations.

But what stood out to me as far as the DOJ report is that our training and policies and all of that that comes into play, truly have to be reviewed, and are being reviewed, as we've already said before ... as we navigate through these trying times.

So, I listened to a podcast you were on with Councilwoman Paula McCraney ... There was a part of the podcast where you said, "That's why we have guns that come into play because people aren't listening to officers." Could you expand on what you meant about that? And what advice you'd have for the public when it comes to interacting with officers?

Let me correct you on that one ... So when she asked, "What can the community do as they interact with the police (or) when they encounter them?" I stated that one of the key components with it is listening – listening to what we are asking of you, listening to what we are requiring you to do so that we were able to actually have a positive encounter.

But also, if you are not satisfied with your encounter with LMPD, you have a right to contact a supervisor. You have a right to actually make a complaint. We have the OIG officer who is fully functional. You have that option as well to utilize his service in order to hear your concerns, let your concerns be known.

And we support that particular entity within the Metro government. But.. when it comes down to actual community conflict, sometimes not having those true, strong conflict resolution skills ... sometimes causes individuals to utilize violence, instead of working out their differences in a manner that can yield in a peaceful resolution.

And so again, I encourage all of our community members ... we know that we have those individuals that have guns, that are not supposed to have guns in their possessions and so forth. But asking the community that, when there's an opportunity to, just deescalating the situation, I'm hoping that they will do just that ... again, we're listening to the citizens, and the citizens are listening to us. And I know that we can come out in a better interaction between the two.

If I'm (hypothetically) a citizen that does want to form a complaint, what would be the first step I would take in that process?

So a citizen can always go to the police precinct and complain to their supervisor. That's afforded to them, they can always call and make the complaint. But they can actually contact the OIG office to make that complaint. And so again, all of those areas and opportunities to have your concerns heard is afforded to you.

But I just want to make sure the community understands that we're in a different space now and we want to hear you. We want to resolve concerns quicker in a professional manner.

What can LMPD officers expect with you as the permanent police chief?

We have a great relationship already and we're just we're just going to build upon that as well... The officers and myself and my professional staff members – I don't want to forget them as well because they do such a great job for LMPD and continue our day-to-day operations, so they're critical to our process. ... They have their chief.

Officers will now exhale because now they know who is leading and driving the ship, and they are stable now. So I'm looking forward to them understanding that I need their help. I need their creative ideas, I need for them to be vocal and say, "Gee, have you thought about this?" and I will entertain it.

They have a chief and they know this, that I will entertain them and see whether or not it can benefit us as a family. So that's what they can expect. And they know that my standards are high and they're all on board to reach those (standards).

Back in March, Greenberg called the killing of Breonna Taylor a murder (on Twitter). Do you agree with that sentiment? Do you believe the LMPD raid on her home was a murder?

So I cannot speak for the mayor, and I will reserve that. But the incident itself was an unfortunate incident.

We as a department have truly learned from that tragic day. And with that, comes the reforms that you've already reported on. ... And with that comes learning from the past in order for us not to repeat it again. I'm hopeful that we're continuing on this path to move forward within the department, but we'll never forget that. And we understand that and but our mission right now is to make sure that we avoid those missteps that were taken.

Your predecessor, Erika Shields, who I know you worked with in Atlanta, talked openly about there being systemic racism within policing across America. Do you agree with that? Do you believe that there is systemic racism within the infrastructure of policing?

There's those biases that sometimes we don't even address or talk about. I would be ignorant to sit here and say that there has not been those individuals that have those racial biases that possibly have infiltrated every department across the nation.

So I'll submit to you to talk to every chief, and they will probably give you a different type of response. But how do we address it? How do we train? How do we actually see who we are hiring in the police department when those concerns arise? How do we address those concerns within our own department?

And so that is where I am ... then also having those crucial and critical conversations, to talk about those individuals that have been impacted by some of the actions from all people. And so again, that's where LMPD is ... and that we're open and we embrace that. To just make sure that the public is aware ... through the springboard of reconciliation came truth and transformation. Within that truth and transformation initiative, every officer within LMPD, from myself on down, had went through procedural justice training, again.

We actually sat through that course – an eight-hour course – and it was an outside instructor that was teaching each and every one of us. We did that. And I made sure that that was in place. And I'm hoping that you actually make sure this is recorded and that it is written: I wanted to make sure someone outside taught the class, because I wanted the community to understand that we were not trying to teach ourselves, we were not trying to insert ourselves and not actually have this opportunity for the truth serum to actually take place.

Someone else was facilitating that lesson in order to get the best out of that course and for the officers to understand where we've been, where we are and where we should be.

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

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: A Q&A with new Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel