Jul 23, 2025 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions

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RIGHT. SORRY. SORRY. HEY. THANKS, CAPTAIN. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. WE'LL FIND ANOTHER TIME AND I'LL SPEAK MORE. YEAH. MOVE IT OVER THERE. YOU DIDN'T MOVE IT FOR YOU.

STOP THAT. METRO TV. CAN YOU PLEASE CHANGE THE VOTE CAST SCREEN TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE?

[Call to Order]

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[Roll Call]

[2. O-085-25     AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT CODE OF ORDINANCES (“LMCO”) SECTION 40.45 TO ADDRESS BOARD MEMBER CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.  6/4/25   Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held 5/7/25   Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held 4/16/25 Ad Hoc Committee on Efficiency of Boards and Commissions Held Action Required By  September 27, 2025 Sponsors: Donna L. Purvis (D-5) ]

[1. ID 25-0393     BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OVERVIEW Deputy Sheriff Merit Board Police Merit Board Civilian Review and Accountability Board Criminal Justice Commission Board]

THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN, MY NAME IS JORDAN MUDD. I'M WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL TODAY. I SERVE AS THE ROLE OF CHIEF EXAMINER FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO I AM THE ADMINISTRATIVE PERSON FOR THE BOARD. SO I COORDINATE THE MEETINGS FOR THE BOARD. AND, YOU KNOW, THE FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD. SO AS WAS STATED, WE ARE ESTABLISHED BASED ON KENTUCKY'S STATUTE AND ENACTED IN METRO ORDINANCE. THE BOARD BEGAN BACK IN JULY OF 1996. SO WE'RE BEEN AROUND FOR A BIT. THE BOARD COVERS DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND THEN THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS THAT DEPUTY SHERIFFS CAN PROMOTE INTO, LIKE SERGEANT, LIEUTENANT AND CAPTAIN. SO ANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ARE NOT COVERED BY THE BOARD. SO AS WAS STATED, WE HAVE FIVE MEMBERS ON OUR BOARD.

BOARD. CAN YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME? WHAT YOU JUST THAT LAST THING YOU SAID? YES. THE BOARD COVERS SWORN PERSONNEL. SO THAT WOULD BE DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND THEN SERGEANTS, LIEUTENANTS AND CAPTAINS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE DEPUTIES WOULD PROMOTE INTO FOR SUPERVISORY POSITIONS.

ANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS BOARD. THE RIGHTS OF THE D. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD. MEMBERS ARE UNPAID AND THEY SERVE TWO YEAR TERMS. THE THERE ARE TWO MAYORAL APPOINTEES WITH APPROVAL OF COUNCIL. THEY DO HAVE TWO TERM LIMIT. THEY SERVE A TWO TERM LIMIT. AND THEN THERE ARE TWO SHERIFF APPOINTEES. AND THEN THERE IS ONE APPOINTEE THAT IS ELECTED BY THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, LODGE 25. SO THEY ELECT A MEMBER TO BE ON THE BOARD. THERE'S STAFF OF THE BOARD MYSELF. I ADMINISTER THE

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THERE'S TESTING INVOLVED, MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ALL LISTED IN THERE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW WE PROCESS THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE ALL GUIDED BY THOSE RULES. ALSO PROMOTIONAL PROCESSES. THIS IS PRETTY COMMON IN PUBLIC SAFETY. I KNOW METRO GOVERNMENT HAS SIMILAR PROCESSES. IT BASICALLY ENSURES THAT THOSE BEING PROMOTED ARE DOING, BEING PROMOTED BASED ON THEIR MERIT, RATHER THAN ANY TYPE OF POLITICAL FAVORITISM. SO IT KEEPS IT ALL MERIT BASED. IT ALSO, THERE'S ALSO SOME FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD WHERE ANY TYPE OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION ISSUED BY THE SHERIFF CAN BE APPEALED. SO IF A DEPUTY OR ANY SWORN MEMBER, IF THEY WERE TO BE DISCIPLINED BY THE SHERIFF, THEY HAVE A TEN DAY PERIOD TO APPEAL THAT TO THE BOARD. SO IF WE RECEIVE THAT NOTICE, WE WOULD GATHER THE BOARD TOGETHER AND WE WOULD THERE WOULD BE A HEARING PROCESS THAT HAS TO BE DONE WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THAT ACTION. AND THEN THE HEARING PROCESS IS ALMOST LIKE A COURT SITUATION. YOU HAVE THE EMPLOYEE WHO'S APPEALING WOULD PROBABLY HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL, SHERIFF WOULD HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL, AND THEN THE BOARD ATTORNEY WOULD SERVE AS SORT OF LIKE THE JUDGE TO MAKE SURE THE PROCEEDINGS ARE FOLLOW RULES AND REGULATIONS. WE HAVE NOT HAD A HEARING. I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR FIVE YEARS. WE HAVEN'T HAD A HEARING SINCE SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE, AND IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE THAT. SO THAT IS REALLY, I THINK, A TESTAMENT WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FOP AND THE SHERIFF. THEY TYPICALLY WILL, YOU KNOW, GIVE OUT ANY TYPE OF DISCIPLINE IS USUALLY DISCUSSED WITH FOP, AND EVERYONE TYPICALLY AGREES.

AND WITH THAT DECISION, ANOTHER ACTION THAT THE BOARD MAY SERVE IS IF THERE IS A CITIZEN THAT FILES A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST ONE OF OUR SWORN MEMBERS, IF THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SHERIFF'S ANY DISCIPLINE THE SHERIFF WOULD ISSUE OR NOT ISSUE DISCIPLINE. A CITIZEN COULD APPEAL THAT DECISION TO THE BOARD, AND THEN THE BOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO. THERE WOULD BE A HEARING PROCESS AND THEN THE BOARD COULD RECOMMEND CHANGES IN THAT OUTCOME. ALL RIGHT. SO AS WAS STATED, OUR MEETINGS, WE ARE NOT REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS. BASICALLY WHEN THERE IS A DISCIPLINARY MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD, WE WOULD CONVENE THE BOARD AND HEAR THAT ACTION. ANY OTHER MEETINGS WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. SO THERE WAS A PERIOD WHEN I FIRST CAME ON WHERE WE WERE REVISING AND UPDATING SOME OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD, SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A TIME WE WOULD MEET OUTSIDE OF A DISCIPLINARY MATTER, AND THEN ALL OF OUR MEETINGS WE FOLLOW THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN MEETING ACT. ALL RIGHT. SO BOARD ENGAGEMENT. SO SINCE WE ARE IN A BOARD THAT MEETS REGULARLY, WE DO TRY TO KEEP THE BOARD ENGAGED. WE DO HAVE HISTORICALLY TRIED TO MEET AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. UNLESS THERE'S OTHER YOU KNOW, WE WILL MEET ANYTIME THERE'S AN ACTION TO DISCUSS.

BUT OTHERWISE WE DO TRY TO MEET ONCE A YEAR, AND WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE IT MORE TOWARDS TWICE A YEAR JUST TO KEEP THE BOARD MEMBERS APPRIZED OF ANY UPDATES THAT'S IN THE AGENCY. I THINK IF THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR A MATTER, IS GOOD FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR AGENCY DOES. DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE AGENCY. SO WE DO. DURING THAT MEETING, THE SHERIFF AND I BOTH PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THINGS LIKE OUR HIRING PROCESSES AND OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN THE AGENCY.

WE ALSO TRY TO KEEP THE BOARD MEMBERS ENGAGED. WE SEND THEM OUR BI MONTHLY EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTERS THAT WE PUBLISH SO THEY CAN AGAIN, KEEP UP WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE AGENCY.

AND THE SHERIFF ALSO INVITES THEM TO OUR ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM THAT WE HOST. SO THEY GET TO SEE AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S WHAT AGAIN, WHAT THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. OKAY, SO CURRENT ACTIVITY OF THE BOARD. WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ANY APPEALS PENDING BEFORE THE BOARD. OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING IS PLANNED FOR THE FALL THIS YEAR. SO WHEN WE DO PLAN THAT MEETING, IT WILL BE POSTED ON THE PUBLIC NOTICES SECTION OF

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BUT GIVEN NO ACTION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE DO PLAN TO MEET IN THE FALL. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION. I'M THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR ANY MATTERS RELATED TO THE BOARD. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. AFTER TODAY, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU. I'LL BE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AT THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AN EFFICIENT POWERPOINT. SO THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF QUICK ONES AND THEN MAYBE SOME BEEFIER ONES. BUT HOW MANY SHERIFFS ARE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY? WE ARE AUTHORIZED FOR ABOUT 260 FULL TIME. YOU'RE AUTHORIZED FOR THAT. DO YOU HAVE 260? WE DON'T WE DON'T. RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE'RE AROUND 240. SO LIKE MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN I THINK ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS STRUGGLING WITH RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB THE LAST FEW YEARS OF RETAINING EMPLOYEES AND GETTING NEW EMPLOYEES IN OF THOSE 240, HOW MANY ARE OF THE APPROPRIATE RANK TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD? ROUNDABOUT. RIGHT.

PRETTY MUCH A MAJORITY OF THEM WOULD BE COVERED BY THIS BOARD. THE ONES THAT WOULD NOT BE WOULD BE ANY MAJORS. AND WE HAVE ABOUT, I THINK, FOUR MAJORS RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE APPOINTED BY THE SHERIFF. SO ALL THE RANKS GOING UP TO MAJOR. SO CAPTAIN AND BELOW, THEY ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROMOTIONAL PROCESS TESTING PROCESS. AND BUT ONCE YOU GET BEYOND THAT, THE SHERIFF WILL APPOINT HIS HIS MAJORS, HIS COMMAND STAFF. SO DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER FOR THAT? 240. HOW MANY WOULD BE LIKE ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD CURRENTLY TO BE COVERED BY THE BOARD? YES. IF THERE'S 240 WOULD BE ABOUT 235. OKAY. OTHER THAN THOSE FIVE MAJORS I GUESS. AND CLARIFICATION, YOU'VE HAD NO COMPLAINTS OR APPEALS IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. WE HAVE HAD COMPLAINTS AND MOST OF THE TIME OUR WE HAVE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DETECTIVES THAT WILL INVESTIGATE THOSE COMPLAINTS. AND THEN THEY PRESENT IT TO THE SHERIFF, AND THEN THE SHERIFF WILL MAKE A DECISION ON ANY TYPE OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION. AS A RESULT OF THAT COMPLAINT. SO GENERALLY THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD ANY CITIZENS COMPLAINT AFTER A IF A COMPLAINT WAS ISSUED OR DISCIPLINE ISSUED, THERE WAS NO COMPLAINTS, NOTHING ELEVATED TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. A COLLEAGUE HAD BROUGHT UP AN INTERESTING QUESTION RECENTLY, AND I CAN'T RECALL WHO, BUT TALKING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LMPD AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND YOU KNOW, WHAT COLLABORATION LOOKS LIKE BETWEEN THOSE AGENCIES, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD WOULD HANDLE IN TERMS OF LIKE POLICY AND, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIPS? I THINK OUR AGENCY REALLY HAS A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE STATE AND NATIONALLY. THERE ARE THE WORK OF THIS BOARD DOES NOT REALLY OVERLAP WITH ANYTHING WITH LOUISVILLE METRO OR ANY OTHER AGENCY. IT'S SPECIFIC TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. OUR GOAL OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, OUR MAIN TASK IS RELATED TO THE COURT SYSTEM. SO WE PROVIDE SECURITY IN THE COURTS. WE SERVE COURT ORDERS ON BEHALF OF THE COURT, BUT WE ARE FULLY CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE OFFER MUTUAL AID TO OTHER AGENCIES IF NEEDED.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE OUT IN THE SAME SCENES IF A DEPUTY'S OUT SERVING A PROTECTIVE ORDER AND SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE SERVING THAT ORDER OR SOMETHING NEARBY HAPPENS, WE CERTAINLY WILL ASSIST ANYONE THAT ASKS. SURE. AND I BELIEVE MY VICE CHAIR HAS QUESTIONS.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THE QUICKLY JUST THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S AUTHORITY OR MISSION IS THE COURTS PROVIDE SECURITY FOR THE COURTS AND THEN DELIVER. WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE THINGS SUMMONS. YEAH. WHICH MIGHT BE PART OF THE COURT IS THAT IS THAT IT. WE ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER AREAS. SO LIKE EVICTIONS IS A BIG TOPIC THAT WE SERVE THOSE EVICTION SUMMONS.

AND THEN WE ALSO WHEN, WHEN EVICTIONS WHEN A SET OUT IS HAPPENING FOR AN EVICTION, OUR DEPUTIES ARE THERE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S SAFE AND INVOLVED WITH THAT SITUATION. WE ALSO HAVE A SMALL GROUP THAT DOES VEHICLE INSPECTIONS. ANY VEHICLE COMING INTO KENTUCKY HAS TO BE INSPECTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SO IF YOU BOUGHT A VEHICLE OVER IN INDIANA, YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO COME AND GET YOUR VEHICLE INSPECTED. AND THAT'S JUST A STATUTE. SO WE'RE THAT FALLS UNDER US AS WELL. WE DO A LOT WITH EPA'S DEVOS. THAT'S A

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YES, SIR. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE BASICALLY A POLICE OFFICER ALL DAY LONG AND ALL NIGHT LONG.

REALLY. RIGHT. THEY HAVE POWERS AT ALL TIMES. AND WE DO GET A LOT OF WE HAVE A MIXTURE OF INDIVIDUALS JUST GETTING INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A GOOD MIX OF THOSE THAT HAVE RETIRED FROM OTHER AGENCIES. SO WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER THAT ARE ACTUALLY FORMER LMPD OR SAINT MATTHEWS J-TOWN ANY OF THOSE OTHER AGENCIES. SO IT'S A PRETTY GOOD MIX OF PEOPLE. SO WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE LEVELS. LAST QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR. THE YOU HAD A THING WHERE ON THE ON ONE OF THE POWERPOINT SHEETS THAT SAID CITIZENS CAN CAN THE CITIZENS HAVE A COMPLAINT AND THEN YOU GUYS WILL BRING YOUR MERIT BOARD TOGETHER AND LISTEN TO THAT COMPLAINT. IS THAT WHAT THAT IS? SO THE COMPLAINT WOULD FIRST GO THROUGH OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS DETECTIVES, AND THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE COMPLAINT. AND THEN THAT IS PRESENTED TO THE SHERIFF TO DECIDE IF THERE WAS ANY DISCIPLINE RELATED TO THAT INCIDENT. THE SHERIFF WOULD MAKE A DETERMINATION. AND THEN IF THE CITIZEN AND I BELIEVE THE CITIZEN IS NOTIFIED OF THE OUTCOME, THEY'RE NOTIFIED WHETHER THE COMPLAINT WAS SUSTAINED OR UNFOUNDED. AND THEN IF THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE DECISION THE SHERIFF MADE, THEN THEY THAT'S WHEN THEY WOULD ENTER INTO THE APPEAL PROCESS TO THE BOARD. SO THEY WOULD SUBMIT A WRITTEN APPEAL. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN REED. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND COUNCILMAN, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW ASKED PART OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK. SO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS FULL POLICE POWERS THAT AN LMPD OFFICER WOULD HAVE. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THROUGHOUT JEFFERSON COUNTY, THEY WOULD HAVE FULL POLICE POWERS. OKAY. SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD PROHIBIT WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM ALL THROUGH THE COUNTY WITH A LACK OF SPEED ENFORCEMENT, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. IS THERE ANY REASON IN THEORY AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NOT TALKED ABOUT, BUT IN THEORY, WHY AN OFF DUTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OFFICER COULD NOT PATROL? YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN COUNCILMAN BRADSHAW'S DISTRICT OR COUNCILWOMAN CHAPPELL'S DISTRICT RADAR CONTROL, SPEEDING. THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE SHERIFF ON HOW HE WANTS TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. NOW, THERE ARE OUR PERSONNEL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT SO THEY COULD, IN EFFECT, REQUEST TO WORK A SECOND, SECOND EMPLOYMENT, SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT. BUT THAT WOULD ALL HAVE TO GET APPROVED BY THE SHERIFF TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR SOMETHING. SO THEY TYPICALLY DON'T DO ANY TYPE OF SPEED ENFORCEMENT, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT ON A REGULAR BASIS, BECAUSE IT'S A REAL PROBLEM RIGHT NOW. IF A DEPUTY IS ON HIS WAY TO WORK OR OUT DOING SOMETHING, AND THEY SAY SOMEBODY CUTS THEM OFF IN TRAFFIC AND DRIVING RECKLESSLY, WE CERTAINLY WILL WOULD BE ABLE TO STOP THEM AND CITE THEM IF NECESSARY. SO BUT TYPICALLY OUR THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ARE THINGS WE RUN ACROSS RATHER THAN THINGS WE'RE ACTUALLY TARGETING, BUT ULTIMATELY WOULD BE UP TO THE SHERIFF ON WHAT WHERE HE WANTED TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ON IN THIS POSITION, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY REQUESTS TO THAT EFFECT? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT MORE CURIOUS ABOUT SHERIFFS AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, BUT THAT'S MAYBE A CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP IF NEED BE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. AND NEXT WE'RE GOING TO THE POLICE MERIT BOARD. SO THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM STEVE WILKINS WITH THE LOUISVILLE METRO. THIS BOARD IS UNDER KENTUCKY STATUTE AUTHORITY HAS A LOCAL ORDINANCE. THEY ROUGHLY MEET ONCE A MONTH.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE VACANCIES, BUT THEY'VE GOT SEVEN MEMBERS, SO THERE'S A PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET AND OH, I WILL GO AHEAD AND START THE TIMER IF YOU ARE READY. OKAY, I AM READY. MY NAME IS STEVE WILKINS. I AM THE CHIEF EXAMINER FOR THE LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE MERIT AND CIVIL SERVICE BOARDS. THE METRO POLICE MERIT BOARD IS ACTUALLY PRETTY SIMILAR TO THE DEPUTY SHERIFF BOARD. SO THIS IS GOING TO SEEM LIKE FAMILIAR TERRITORY TO LAUNCH INTO IT. THE POLICE MERIT BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED BY STATE STATUTE.

THE ENABLING LEGISLATION IS KRS 67 C. IT WAS CREATED IN 2003 AND ITS FIRST MEETING, I BELIEVE, WAS IN 2004 AFTER THE FIRST BOARD MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED. THE AREAS THAT CRA 67 C AND BY

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THIS IS THE PART THAT ACTUALLY TAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBERS. TIME AND LAST. WE HAVE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS, AND I'LL GET INTO MORE OF THE DETAILS OF THOSE HERE IN A SECOND. AS FAR AS THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD IS COMPOSED OF FIVE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. THEY ARE UNPAID VOLUNTEERS APPOINTED TO FOUR YEAR TERMS. ALTHOUGH IT IS TRUE THAT IF SOMEONE IS IF A IF A BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR TERM, THEN THE NEWLY APPOINTED REPLACEMENT WILL ONLY BE FOR THE FOR THE REMAINING DURATION OF THAT TERM. ALL BOARD MEMBERS ALSO MUST BE RESIDENTS OF LOUISVILLE METRO. THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE CURRENT LMPD OFFICERS, ELECTED BY THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE TO TWO YEAR TERMS. FOR MEETINGS. THE BOARD IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE TO MEET AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TWO MONTHS. HOWEVER, THERE'S USUALLY ENOUGH BUSINESS THAT THEY MEET ONCE A MONTH. THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE HEARING DAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND I HAVE SOME STATS ON THAT ON A LATER SLIDE. A TYPICAL MEETING AGENDA WILL HAVE ITEMS SUCH AS SUSPENSIONS AND TERMINATIONS. THESE ARE NOT ACTION ITEMS FOR THE BOARD. INSTEAD, THEY'RE SIMPLY READ INTO THE RECORD. SOME ACTION ITEMS THAT WE DO HAVE, THOUGH, ARE REQUEST TO EXTEND PROBATIONARY PERIODS OF OFFICERS. WHEN A NEW OFFICER IS HIRED, THEY ARE ON PROBATION FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD, DURING WHICH, IF THEY ARE TERMINATED, THEY MAY NOT APPEAL THAT TO THE BOARD. IF THE DEPARTMENT FEELS THAT THEY HAVE PERFORMANCE ISSUES TO CORRECT, OR IF THEY SIMPLY BEEN GONE DUE TO MEDICAL LEAVE, THEN THEY WILL EXTEND THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF THOSE OFFICERS. THERE ARE ALSO REQUESTS FOR REHIRE. THESE WOULD TYPICALLY BE OFFICERS WHO SIMPLY LEFT THE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. AND THEN NOW WE'RE INTERESTED IN RETURNING. WE ALSO HAVE REQUESTS TO SCHEDULE OR RESCHEDULE HEARINGS. AND WE HAVE THE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS. FOR THE HEARINGS UNDER KRS 67 C AND THE POLICE MERIT BOARD RULES, POLICE OFFICERS COVERED BY THE BOARD HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL SUSPENSIONS, TERMINATIONS AND DEMOTIONS, AND THE HEARINGS WORK VERY MUCH LIKE A TRIAL. EACH SIDE IS REPRESENTED BY LEGAL COUNSEL, THE DEPARTMENT AND THE APPEALING OFFICER. THEY WILL HAVE OPENING ARGUMENTS. ONE SIDE WILL CALL WITNESSES AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE WILL CROSS-EXAMINE. THEN THEY SWITCH, THE OTHER SIDE CALLS THEIR WITNESSES AND THE FIRST SIDE CROSS-EXAMINES. THEY WILL THEN DO CLOSING CLOSING ARGUMENTS, AND THEN THE BOARD WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH IS A PRIVATE SESSION WHERE THEY CAN DELIBERATE AS FAR AS WHAT THE BOARD CAN DO. THEY CAN OVERTURN OR REDUCE DISCIPLINE, BUT THEY MAY NOT ISSUE ANY DISCIPLINE OVER AND ABOVE THAT ALREADY ISSUED BY THE CHIEF. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN OFFICER WAS SUSPENDED FOR ONE DAY, THE BOARD CAN'T SAY THAT. NO, WE THINK IT SHOULD BE TWO DAYS. THEY COULD REDUCE THAT ONE DAY, BUT THEY COULD NOT ADD MORE. THEY CAN ALSO BRING A TERMINATED OFFICER BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT. FREQUENCY OF HEARINGS. IT VARIES A BIT. TYPICALLY WE HAVE 1 TO 3 PER YEAR. EACH HEARING TENDS TO LAST 3 TO 6 DAYS. OCCASIONALLY THERE'S AN OUTLIER THAT LASTS AS MANY AS 8 OR 9. SOME OF THE MORE RECENT STATISTICS. WE HAD TWO HEARINGS IN 2021, ONE HEARING EACH IN 2022 AND 2023, AND TWO HEARINGS IN 2024. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE TWO HEARINGS IN PROGRESS. WE HAVE TWO SCHEDULED FOR LATER IN 2025, AND THERE ARE TWO MORE THAT ARE AWAITING SCHEDULING FOR 2026. FOR CITIZEN COMPLAINTS, IF A CITIZEN FILES A FILES A COMPLAINT AGAINST AN OFFICER, THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IS IT GOES TO LMPD, WHERE IT IS INVESTIGATED BY LMPD'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS UNIT, OR PSU. THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER

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THE BOARD WILL THEN HEAR THAT COMPLAINT THAT ONE OF THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS, AND THEN THE BOARD IF IT IF THE IF THE BOARD FEELS THAT IT NEEDS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CHIEF, IT CAN ALSO IT CANNOT ISSUE ANY DISCIPLINE. IF THE CHIEF HAS DECIDED NOT TO. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CHIEF HAS DECIDED THAT AN OFFICER IS, FOR EXAMPLE, EXONERATED, THE BOARD CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THIS OFFICER SHOULD BE DISCIPLINED, BUT THEY CAN AND DO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CHIEF'S OFFICE. AS FAR AS FREQUENCY, THAT'S VARIABLE. AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY THREE SET TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. WE HAVE HAD 25 OF THEM SINCE 2020, SO AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT FIVE A YEAR. RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO IN THE QUEUE. SO I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. SURE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. SO YOU SAID YOU HAVE ON AVERAGE I BELIEVE 1 TO 3 COMPLAINTS OR HEARINGS A YEAR. AND SO FAR IN 2025 WE KNOW OF FOUR. AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A TREND UPWARD. CAN THAT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ANYTHING OR JUST, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE EXTRA COMPLAINTS. I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY WITHIN THE NORM WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. BUT HONESTLY IT WOULD JUST BE SPECULATION, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHY THAT WHY IT HAS TICKED UP A LITTLE BIT. AND YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, CAN YOU KIND OF TALK ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUNDS TO WHAT EXTENT YOU ARE? BECAUSE I'M JUST HEARING SOME OF THESE HEARINGS LAST 3 TO 6 DAYS, AND THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN LIKE THE NIGHT TIME OR, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG MEETING NERD. AND I WOULD HAVE A MEETING EVERY NIGHT. I PRETTY MUCH DO. BUT FINDING A WHOLE GROUP OF THOSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS RARE. SO WHAT TIME OF DAY DO YOU ALL MEET? LIKE 9 A.M. CAN PEOPLE HAVE REAL JOBS OR DO THEY HAVE TO BE THIRD SHIFT? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE MEMBERS ARE RETIRED.

FOR EXAMPLE, OUR BOARD CHAIR AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER MEMBER ARE ARE RETIRED. THERE IS AT LEAST ONE WHO IS STILL, YOU KNOW, FULLY EMPLOYED. YOU KNOW, SHE HAS A FULL TIME JOB. HOWEVER, WHEN BOARD MEMBERS ARE BRIEFED, YOU KNOW, ON WHAT SERVING ON THE BOARD IS LIKE. YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY'RE APPOINTED, WE MAKE IT A POINT TO TELL THEM WHAT THE TIME COMMITMENT IS, AND SO THEY WILL GENERALLY CLEAR IT WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND THOSE HEARING DATES. IS A HEARING LIKE IT'S IF IT STARTS AT 9 A.M, DOES IT GO ALL DAY OR IS IT JUST. YES, IT GOES ALL DAY LONG. YES. IT WILL GO FROM TYPICALLY FROM 9:00 UP UNTIL SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 4 AND 5 P.M. GOODNESS. WELL, FOLKS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT LONG HOURS, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE THAT RANKS UP THERE. ANY MEMBERS HAVE A QUESTION? OH, COUNCILMAN LANIER, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. FIRST, OF THE SIX RECENT HEARINGS, WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST DISCIPLINE REDUCED, DISCIPLINE UPHELD? I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH CASE. I WOULDN'T TRUST MY FAULTY MEMORY. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A STUDY DONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY A LOCAL MEDIA ORGANIZATION WHERE THEY GATHER THE DATA AND CRUNCH THE NUMBERS, AND FOUND THAT THE BOARD RULES IN FAVOR OF THE DEPARTMENT APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE TIME. MY NEXT QUESTION. SO ON THE CITIZEN COMPLAINT, ESSENTIALLY, THERE IS NOT A MEANINGFUL WAY TO DISPUTE THE CHIEF'S DECISION THAT THAT THAT THAT'S MY READ HERE THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT, THE BOARD CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. BUT ULTIMATELY THE CHIEF HAS TOTAL UNILATERAL POWER. YEAH. IT'S THERE. IT'S A BIT OF A PAIN POINT REALLY, BECAUSE THE CITIZENS TYPICALLY WANT MORE DISCIPLINE THAN THE CHIEF ISSUED. AND YET THE BOARD IS STATUTORILY PROHIBITED FROM DOING THAT. SO A LOT OF TIMES THE CITIZENS DO IN FACT LEAVE UNSATISFIED, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS WHY THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, CAN ONLY LIMIT, YOU KNOW, ONLY DO A RECOMMENDATION. AND THAT WILL GO TO THE CHIEF'S OFFICE. YOU KNOW,

[00:35:06]

I'LL COME BACK IN THE QUEUE. I'LL THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, CONTINUE ON. I HAVE ONE MORE, BUT YOU GO ON. I HAVE TO REMEMBER MY QUESTION. NO. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF CITIZEN COMPLAINTS THAT YOU RECEIVE? AND I GUESS TO GIVE A LITTLE COLOR TO THAT QUESTION, MAYBE IT'S A BETTER ONE FOR INSPECTOR GENERAL HARNESS, AND MAYBE I WOULD UNDERSTAND IT WHEN THE CITIZEN REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD COMES UP. BUT. WHAT A COMPLAINT, A CITIZEN COMPLAINT GO BEFORE BOTH OF THOSE BOARDS OR WHAT TRIGGERS THIS BOARD OVER THAT BOARD? WELL, I THINK MISTER HARNESS CAN BETTER DESCRIBE, YOU KNOW, THE CONDITIONS FOR THE FOR WHAT TYPES OF COMPLAINTS THAT BOARD CAN HEAR. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME COMPLAINTS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO BE HEARD BY MISTER HARNESS BOARD THAT TYPICALLY ARE HEARD BY THE POLICE MERIT BOARD. AS FAR AS THE WHAT TYPE OF STUFF WE GET, IT COULD BE ANY INTERACTION. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WITH A POLICE OFFICER THAT A CITIZEN IS UNHAPPY WITH. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT COULD BE RUDENESS, IT COULD BE FAILURE TO TAKE A REPORT WHEN THE CITIZEN BELIEVES THAT HER REPORT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN, IT COULD BE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY THOUGHT THE POLICE CLOSED AN INVESTIGATION TOO EARLY, YOU KNOW, SO THEY REALLY JUST ANY KIND OF INTERACTION WITH AN OFFICER. THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR BRASHER. AND THEN. YES, SIR.

WHAT? SO WE'RE AND WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MISTER HARNESS IN A MOMENT. BUT WHERE DOES YOU IS THERE ANY OVERLAP AT ALL WITH YOU WITH THE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND HIS OPERATION. IS THERE ANY.

WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY. JUST OVERLAP. CITIZEN REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD DOES HAVE A LIAISON THAT THE CITIZEN WILL FIRST CONTACT. AND SO WE DO WORK YOU KNOW IN YOU KNOW WITH THAT LIAISON WITH THOSE CITIZENS THAT ARE SET TO ADDRESS THE POLICE MERIT BOARD. BUT BEYOND THAT THERE'S REALLY NO OVERLAP. DO MOST CITIZENS WITH A COMPLAINT COME TO YOU FIRST OR THEM FIRST? THAT I COULDN'T ANSWER. OKAY, THANKS. HOW MANY OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND? AND THERE'S SEVEN ON THE BOARD, CORRECT? YEAH. WELL, TWO OF THEM ARE OFFICERS ELECTED BY THE FOP, SO OF COURSE THEY DO. LET'S SEE. I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW. THAT IS A FORMER OFFICER. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE WHO'S A RETIRED MILITARY OFFICER. THERE IS ONE THAT'S A COLLEGE PROFESSOR. AND THERE IS ONE THAT IS RETIRED PROSECUTOR. AND YOUR BACKGROUND IS IN HUMAN RESOURCES? YES. DO YOU HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AT ALL IN YOUR BACKGROUND? NO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, MR. WILKINS. AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. NEXT. AND IF YOU CAN'T TELL THE THEME YET, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. BUT WE'VE GOT THE CITIZEN REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DON'T LIKE BEING CALLED CRAB, BUT I LOVE IT. YOU ARE NOT UNDER A STATE STATUTE, BUT YOU ARE UNDER A LOCAL ORDINANCE. YOU MEET ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH. COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IT LOOKS LIKE MEMBERS ARE COMPENSATED FOR $50 PER MEETING AND $100 PER TRAINING. LOOKS LIKE ONE VACANCY, AND THERE'S A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 11 MEMBERS. AND TODAY WE HAVE INSPECTOR GENERAL HARNESS, AND WE ALSO HAVE JOEL BOMBAY, MUMBAI, MUMBAI. I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER THAT NAME, BUT OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T THANK YOU. AND HE IS THE CHAIR OF THE CITIZEN REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD. AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL. AND YOUR 15 MINUTES STARTS NOW. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, HONORABLE COUNCIL. I DID NOT PREPARE A POWERPOINT. I HAVE A PHOBIA I THINK, WITH THOSE. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST SPEAK DIRECTLY. AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE ARE ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE.

[00:40:05]

WE ARE. CHARGED WITH DOING COMPLAINT INVESTIGATIONS, CITIZEN COMPLAINT INVESTIGATIONS AND NON COMPLAINT INVESTIGATIONS. CITIZEN COMPLAINT INVESTIGATIONS ARE CAN BE AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD IN SIX DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZES A FULL INVESTIGATION AND IT HAS TO MEET THE CRITERIA AS OUTLINED IN THE ORDINANCE. AND THOSE SIX AREAS ARE EXCESSIVE FORCE, BIAS OR DISCRIMINATION, SEX MISCONDUCT, EXCESSIVE EXCESSIVE FORCE. AND THEN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY DUE TO A POLICE ACTION OR OR BEING IN CUSTODY. THE BOARD MEETS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND PRODUCES. THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, PRODUCES THEIR WORK PRODUCT AND THEN PRESENTS IT TO THE BOARD. ALL OF OUR STUDIES AND ALL OF OUR INVESTIGATION FINDINGS ARE ARE PUBLISHED ONLINE, AND WE UPDATE THOSE AS SOON AS THE BOARD RECEIVES THOSE INVESTIGATION FINDINGS. TO DATE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT

[00:45:15]

[00:50:06]

COUNCILMAN LINIGER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO SORRY. SAY AGAIN WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CASES YOU FOUND? MISCONDUCT. I'M ESTIMATING IT'S ABOUT 10%. OKAY. AND OF THOSE 10%. WHAT? WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES? YOU KNOW, MATERIAL CHANGES. YOU KNOW, DID THOSE RESULT IN DISCIPLINED OFFICERS OR COUNSELOR? I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT GET A RESPONSE DIRECTLY FROM THE DEPARTMENT REGARDING. ACTIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT TAKES. WE DO KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE ARE HAVING OUR FIRST APPEARANCE IN FRONT OF THE MERIT BOARD WITH MR. WILKINS, BASED UPON A COMPLAINT THAT CAME TO OUR OFFICE, WHICH WAS AN ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT ABOUT FORCE ON A HOMELESS PERSON THAT DIDN'T GET INVESTIGATED. SO THAT SUPERVISOR IS APPEALING HIS 20 DAY SUSPENSION. OKAY. AND IS THERE ANY AREA OF THE ORDINANCE WHICH CONFLICTS WITH THE CHANGES UNDER THE. THE NOT CONSENT DECREE THAT THE COMMUNITY, WHATEVER THE NAME IS, I FORGET. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. I WOULDN'T SAY THAT. I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE'S A CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT. THAT'S THAT SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN WHAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE. I THINK ONE OF THE GLARING MISSING PORTIONS OF THE ORDINANCE IS THAT IT DID NOT REQUIRE RESPONSE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SUBMITTED FROM THE BOARD. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BRATCHER. WELL, THE NEW CONSENT DECREE, WHAT'S IT CALLED AGAIN? THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT. COMMUNITY COMMITMENT. IT WAS. IT GIVES YOU WOULD YOU SAY IT'S HELPING YOUR YOUR MISSION OR IS IT JUST YOU ALL ARE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE OR HOW DO YOU INTERACT? I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, NUMBER ONE, YOU INTERACT WITH THIS NEW CONSENT DECREE COMMUNITY AND HOW YOU INTERACT WITH WITH THE POLICE MERIT BOARD. JUST IS THERE INTERACTION AND OVERLAP AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF? WELL, RELATING TO OUR INTERACTION WITH THE MERIT BOARD, IT WOULD BE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IF THERE WAS SOME INVOLVEMENT FOR THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION OF MISCONDUCT THAT TOOK PLACE, AND WE HAD A PART IN IT, THAT WOULD BE OUR INVOLVEMENT AND OVERLAP WITH THE MERIT BOARD. RELATED TO YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT, THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT HELPS FOCUS SOME ASPECTS OF OUR ROLE. IT DOES REQUIRE RESPONSES FROM THE DEPARTMENT, HOWEVER. IT REMOVED THE 45 DAYS WHICH WAS IN THE CONSENT DECREE, AND IT PUT IN LANGUAGE THAT SAID IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. SO CURRENTLY WE'VE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE NOW ON DAY 60 WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE CHIEF. I SORRY, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT BESIDES STRENGTHENING THE COLLABORATION WITH THE MERIT BOARD, I THINK THE BIGGEST GOAL IS KIND OF STRENGTHENING STRENGTHENING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH LMPD. AND SO THE BIGGEST THING I'VE NOTICED FROM THIS CONVERSATION IN THE PREVIOUS BOARD IS RECOMMENDATIONS CAN GO OUT, BUT TRYING TO GET A RESPONSE OR AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OR AN ACTIONABLE STEP, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING. BUT IT'S NOT REALLY ON US. I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID SOMETHING, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK MR. MUMBAI IF YOU WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING. WE'RE ABOUT TIME, BUT I I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE, AND I WOULD BE WELCOME TO GO A FEW SECONDS OVER TO HEAR ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE COLOR TO. YEAH. NO, I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. JOEL. MUMBAI. BUT I GO BY JOEL IN IN LOUISVILLE FOR TEN YEARS. I'M ACTING CHAIR. I PREVIOUSLY WAS NOMINATED FOR

[00:55:07]

THAT IS INITIAL TRAINING UPON APPOINTMENT, AND IT'S A ONE TIME. AND SO IF THEY GET REAPPOINTED, DO THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE TRAINING OVER AGAIN. NO. BUT MANY OF THEM VOLUNTEER TO GO BACK AS A REFRESHER. ABSOLUTELY. WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BOTH OF YOUR TIME AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU SOON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE ARE GOING TO SEE HEAR FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION BOARD. AND WE'VE GOT FAITH AUGUSTINE HERE. AND THIS IS UNDER A KRS STATUTE. THIS IS A PRETTY LARGE BOARD BECAUSE THERE'S 30 MEMBERS. SO I THINK THAT NEXT TO THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND.

PREVENTION COORDINATING COUNCIL, PREVENTION COORDINATING COUNCIL, THIS MIGHT BE THE THIRD LARGEST, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT IS PRETTY SIZABLE. MAYBE IT'S THE KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER. BUT YEAH, THEY'VE GOT A PRESENTATION WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL. IT'S ON MY SCREEN, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO. IS IT ON SCREEN? OKAY OKAY OKAY. THANK YOU THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIR CHAPEL VICE CHAIR BRATCHER AND METRO COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION. MY NAME IS FAITH AUGUSTINE AND I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS AN AGENCY OF LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT. I PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO THE STAFF AND TO THE BOARD AND ALL OF THE COMMITTEES THAT REPORT TO THE BOARD, AND I'M ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY GRANT OR BUDGETARY OVERSIGHT IN THE OFFICE. I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMMISSION IN VARIOUS ROLES FOR ABOUT 21 YEARS, AND PRIOR TO THAT, I SERVED AS A RESEARCH ASSISTANT FOR A SIMILAR ORGANIZATION AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COUNCIL, WHICH WAS UP UNDER THE KENTUCKY JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY CABINET. AND THEN I CAME TO LOUISVILLE METRO IN 2003. I'M A GRADUATE OF UOFL WITH A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREE IN JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION. HAPPY TO HAVE OUR BOARD CHAIR HERE TODAY. JUDGE TANISHA HICKERSON AND I WILL LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF.

HI. HELLO. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION. I AM JUDGE TANISHA HICKERSON. I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE CJC SINCE JANUARY OF 2022. I AM A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. I'VE BEEN IN THAT ROLE SINCE 2019, AND PRIOR TO MY TERM ON THE BENCH, I PRACTICED CIVIL LITIGATION LAW.

THEREFORE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE RELATED LAW WAS NOT AS DIFFICULT PRACTICE AREA FOR ME, BUT I'M SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION AFTER BEING ON THE BENCH FOR TWO YEARS, HAS GIVEN ME HAS BEEN A KEY FACTOR IN ALLOWING ME TO INTERACT AND LEARN FROM SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER PARTNERS THAT ARE PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED TO ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY AND OVERALL IMPROVING OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO, AND WE WILL BEGIN TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND BACKGROUND. THE COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1967. THAT WAS A RESULT OF KRS 65.21 AND 65 300, WHICH WAS AT THAT TIME THE INTERLOCAL COOPERATION ACT, WHICH ALLOWED THE FORMER CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION. AND

[01:00:05]

AND THEN ALSO DEVELOPMENT OF THE REENTRY WORKBOOK, WHICH WILL PROBABLY TALK ABOUT MORE LATER AS WELL. EFFORTS TO CUT DOWN RECIDIVISM. THE COMMISSION BOARD SERVES IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY FOR THE LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS. AS SUCH, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE NO FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY OR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY. THEY'RE ALL UNPAID VOLUNTEERS. THE COMMISSION BOARD IS COMPRISED OF LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES, METRO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND CITIZENS THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY. THE MEMBERSHIP IS DELINEATED WITHIN THAT ORDINANCE, AND WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 29 MEMBERS. 22 OF THOSE SERVE BY VIRTUE OF THEIR POSITION OR OFFICE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE CHAIR AND THEN SIX CITIZEN MEMBERS, WHICH ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND APPROVED BY METRO COUNCIL. THIS OF THOSE SIX CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVES, THREE OF THEM REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND THEN THREE OF THEM REPRESENT DISCIPLINES OR CONSTITUENCY GROUPS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY CRIMINAL JUSTICE OPERATIONS, SUCH AS THOSE THAT ARE WORKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS OR PROVIDERS RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT, HOMELESSNESS, AND VICTIM ADVOCACY. AND THEN THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FEDERAL AGENCIES INCLUDE THE DEA, THE FBI AND ATF, AND THEY ARE NON-VOTING, EX OFFICIO MEMBERS. THE CITIZEN MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED TO TWO YEAR TERMS, AND THEY CAN SERVE TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS. AS IT RELATES TO QUORUM, IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERSHIP WHICH CONSTITUTES THE QUORUM. AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE APPOINTMENT OF THOSE CITIZEN MEMBERS, A NUMBER OF FACTORS ARE CONSIDERED AS IT RELATES TO THAT RELATED TO DEMOGRAPHICS, GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION, POLITICAL PARTY. WE FOLLOW THE PROCESSES THROUGH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OFFICE. OKAY. AND THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMISSION ARE IN YOUR POWERPOINT. I'M GOING TO KIND OF JUST BREEZE OVER THEM BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GETTING, BUT IT IS VERY DATA DRIVEN IS TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA RELATED TO THE OVERALL IMPACT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE DO GENERATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCIES. WE ARE KEY IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ABOUT CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING. AS A COMMUNITY WIDE, WE PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND WHEN POSSIBLE, WE CAN SECURE

[01:05:03]

YOU'RE FINE. WE HAVE ABOUT SIX MINUTES. AND IF WE COULD PROBABLY JUST JUMP INTO QUESTIONS. SURE, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, I WAS JUST OVER SURE. ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE I NOTICED AS LONG I CAN BREAK DOWN EACH COMMITTEE, BUT, WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION FROM THAT. OH, I'M SORRY, ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR PRESENTATION? WE'RE FINISHED. THIS WAS JUST OUR LAST SLIDE WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, AND ALL OF OUR MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. WE POST ALL OUR MEETING SUMMARIES. ANY REPORTS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE IN THOSE COMMITTEES. WHAT IS THE MATT PLANNING INITIATIVE THAT IS UNDER THE JAIL POLICY? YES, THAT'S RELATED TO THE MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT. SO WE RECEIVED A GRANT WHICH WE STILL CURRENTLY HAVE. IT ACTUALLY ENDS IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH HAS BEEN FUNDING TO HELP LOUISVILLE METRO CORRECTIONS BUILD OUT THEIR MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT PROGRAM WITHIN THE JAIL. SO WE HAVE A PLANNING GROUP UNDER THE JAIL POLICY COMMITTEE, WHICH HELPS SUPPORT THAT THAT GRANT.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SEPTEMBER? PLANNING OF THAT. METRO CORRECTIONS HAS BEEN ABLE TO.

INCLUDE THE MAT PROGRAM WITHIN THEIR HEALTH SERVICES CONTRACT GOING FORWARD. SO THEY WILL BE SUSTAINING THE MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT MOVING FORWARD. GREAT. AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON NOW? I MEAN, LIKE SETTING UP 911 AND, YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND EPO SYSTEMS, YOU DO SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT WORK. AND SO WHAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE TOP LEVEL THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, YOU WANT TO LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE REENTRY WORKBOOK GROUP, IS IT TOOK FUNDING AND GRANTING FOR THAT TO BE TURNED INTO AN ONLINE SYSTEM. AND AT ONE POINT IT WAS WE WERE SEEKING A GRANT FOR AN APP APPLICATION. SO AN APP THAT COULD ALSO HELP THOSE WHO WERE BEING REINTRODUCED AFTER INCARCERATION, FOR THEM TO HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO CUT DOWN ON RECIDIVISM TOOLS OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM HOUSING TO TRANSPORTATION TO TREATMENT, THOSE THINGS. WE LIVE IN A VERY TECHNOLOGICALLY DRIVEN WORLD, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THOSE ONLINE. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT ON THAT RIGHT NOW IS THAT, YES, WE THE WE SPENT THE FUNDING, THE GRANT IS OVER. BUT THE SYSTEM THE WEBSITE IS LIVE. AND SO IT IS AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW ALL ACROSS THE COMMUNITY FOR ANYONE THAT CAN WANTS TO USE IT. THE REENTRY WORKBOOK ITSELF, WHICH IS ABOUT A 70 PAGE DOCUMENT WHICH, LIKE JUDGE HICKERSON SAID, ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN INCARCERATED WALKS THEM THROUGH ALL THE THINGS THEY MAY THEY MAY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH WHEN THEY EXIT THAT INCARCERATION, THAT WORKBOOK, THE PHYSICAL COPY OF THE WORKBOOK IS BEING USED IN SEVEN PRISONS ACROSS THE STATE OF KENTUCKY RIGHT NOW. GOODWILL INDUSTRIES, THROUGH THEIR ASPIRE PROGRAM, HAS PROJECT MANAGERS WITHIN THOSE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE DELIVERING THAT WORKBOOK AND WORKING WITH ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RETURNING BACK TO LOUISVILLE THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE. AND IT'S ALSO BEING USED CURRENTLY IN LOUISVILLE METRO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IN THEIR PROGRAMING. WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, THOUGH, WAS TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE ONLINE. SO FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE ALREADY EXITED OR ARE STILL MAYBE HAVING SOME BARRIERS AND SOME CHALLENGES AND NEED ASSISTANCE, THAT THEY HAVE THAT ACCESS AS WELL AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO

[01:10:01]

I'M SORRY THAT IT IS PRINTED OUT OVER THERE. AND THEN THE OH, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING, BUT THERE'S THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HELP WITH IN THEIR VARIOUS ROLES, WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A RELEASE, WHETHER THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S RELATED TO A 202 LIKE ORDER FOR THEM TO GET A MENTAL EVALUATION, A MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION. SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OUR ORDERS GO OVER, BUT I KNOW OVERALL THERE'S A DRIVE TO TRY TO. BUT I KNOW THERE'S TIME BECAUSE I MIGHT ENTER ORDER ON THE BENCH AND GET A CALL ABOUT IT THAT EVENING, LIKE AT 7:00 OR 8:00 AT NIGHT. AND WE'RE FINE WITH THAT. THE CLERKS KNOW THAT THEY CAN CALL IF THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT OUR ORDER THAT WE MAY HAVE DONE ON THE BENCH. SO I DO THINK THERE IS STILL SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. IF I HAD TO HAVE AN EDUCATED GUESS. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S A HYBRID OF BOTH PAPER AND ELECTRONIC? YES. WHAT WOULD BE ELECTRONIC AND WHAT WOULD BE PAPER? WELL, I'M JUST SAYING, IF I START WITH AN ELECTRONIC E-SIGNATURE AND IT GOES THROUGH, OR EVEN IF I START, IF I SIGN SOMETHING IN MY CLERK'S IN THE COURTROOM OR AN ADMINISTRATOR, SCAN IT AND MAKE IT A PDF AND EMAIL IT OVER. I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS PER SE, WHAT GOES ON AT THE JAIL IF THEY ARE ALL ELECTRONIC OR FROM OUR ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE, THAT THEN HAS TO GO TO MAIL, GO TO PAPER AND THEN PUT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FILINGS. I AM NOT I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT GOES ON AFTER.

IT KIND OF LEAVES THE COURTHOUSE. AND AGAIN, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE. BUT WHAT I DO REMEMBER IS THAT THERE WERE LOTS OF UNPROCESSED INMATES BECAUSE OF THE BACKLOG OF PAPER, AND THE DIRECTOR AT THE TIME SAID THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT AND THAT THERE WAS SOME INTERACTION BETWEEN THE COURT SYSTEM. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S FEW AND FAR BETWEEN NOW. I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD THINK AND AGAIN, BEING THIS IS I'M IN MY SEVENTH YEAR AS A JUDGE, THAT A LOT OF IT, ESPECIALLY POST COVID, WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY HEIGHTEN AND STREAMLINE A LOT OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES AND PROCESSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE WE WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S QUICKER, IT'S FASTER, IT'S BETTER FOR DATA COLLECTION AND REMAINING AND RETAINING THOSE RECORDS. SO LIKE I SAID, EVEN THOUGH I GET A CALL, IT'S NOT THAT OFTEN. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PUSH IS FOR THAT. THOSE TYPE OF STACKS OF PAPERS NOT TO BE HINDRANCES FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE GETTING OUT, FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEIR BOND DECISIONS AND THEIR BOND WORK, BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES ARE OFTEN WAITING THERE. AND IF IT ISN'T AN EXTRAORDINARY DELAY, I DO FIND THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE IN RELATION TO US WILL TRY TO GET THROUGH THAT, OR EVEN DONE INVESTIGATIONS IF WE FIND THAT THE DELAY IS CONCERNING. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU'RE WELL. THANKS FOR HAVING US, COUNCILMAN HENNINGER. OH, YOU WERE IN THE QUEUE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE JAIL POLICY COMMITTEE. WHAT WORK IS CURRENTLY BEING DONE FOR INMATE SAFETY? RIGHT NOW? THE. ONE OF THE. WELL, A FEW OF THE TOPICS THAT THEY'RE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT. FIRST OF ALL, LIKE JUDGE HICKERSON SAID, THE JAIL POPULATION MANAGEMENT DASHBOARD IS AVAILABLE NOW 24 OVER SEVEN ON THE METRO CORRECTIONS WEBSITE. ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ARE HAVING IS RELATED TO ACCESS INMATES HAVING ACCESS TO DISCOVERY, WHICH WILL HELP WITH EFFICIENT CASE PROCESSING. MEDICAID ASSISTED TREATMENT IS A TOPIC THAT THEY'RE REGULARLY UPDATED ON, AND THEN THE COMPETENCY RESTORATION PROGRAM IS A IS AN UPDATE AS WELL. AND THEN I KNOW THAT AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE HAD

[01:15:04]

AND OFTENTIMES THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER IN THAT ARE NOT ONLY INMATES WHO ARE ABOUT TO GET OUT OR THOSE WHO HAVE WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND ARE TRYING TO WORK ON PROGRAMS TO SHOW OTHER INMATES THAT I HAVE ACHIEVED THIS GOAL. I HAVE DONE THIS, BUT IT ALSO MAKES EVERYDAY PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS AND THE CHALLENGES THAT MAY FACE SOMEONE WHEN THEY FIRST GET RELEASED.

AND I THINK WHEN WE PUT OURSELVES IN THOSE SHOES AND GO THROUGH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HERE HAS BEEN THROUGH REENTRY SIMULATION, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND YOU DO SO, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO ALL THE TABLES AND TURNING OVER THE CARD AND SAYING, I'M BACK IN JAIL, YOU KNOW, FOR US IT IS A IT IS. WE'RE THERE FOR THERE FOR THAT DAY IN THAT CONFERENCE. BUT FOR THEM IT'S REAL LIFE. AND SO IT'S GOOD TO LISTEN AND HEAR FROM THEM AT THAT AT TIMES LIKE THAT. BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. FAITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD. WELL, AND WE DO HAVE THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT PARTICIPATE SPECIFICALLY ON OUR OPPORTUNITY NETWORK COMMITTEE. AND THEIR VOICES ARE ARE INVALUABLE. AND THEY WERE VERYENEFICIAL WHEN WE WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE WORKBOOK, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO TELL US THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO ME HAD I HAD THIS INFORMATION. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF THOSE REENTRY SIMULATIONS, AND NED, MY ALIAS, DID NOT DO VERY WELL AT ALL. BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE. AND IF EVERYONE IS GOOD, WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO AN END AND ADJOURN. BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ESPECIALLY THANKS FOR MAKING IT OUT OF COURT.

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ACCOMMODATING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL AGAIN IN TWO WEEKS. NOT YOU ALL OKAY. BUT HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. GOOD TO SEE YOU, EVERYONE. I'LL JUST EXIT OUT OF THAT. I DON'T THINK I DID THAT, OKAY. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.