Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced on Wednesday that Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel has been placed on leave due to her handling of a sexual harassment allegation involving her officers. This decision comes less than a year after Gwinn-Villaroel made history as the first Black woman to lead the department in a full-time position. While the chief was not directly involved in the harassment incident, Mayor Greenberg expressed concerns about her handling of the allegation once it was reported to her. The nature of the allegation was not disclosed during the news conference where the announcement was made.
Since the tragic death of Breonna Taylor in 2020, Louisville’s police department has seen a series of changes in leadership. Gwinn-Villaroel is the third full-time chief appointed since Taylor’s death, following three interim chiefs as well. She joined the department in 2021 from the Atlanta Police Department, having been hired as a deputy chief by former Chief Erika Shields. Gwinn-Villaroel’s promotion to full-time chief took place in July 2023, but now she finds herself suspended pending an investigation into her handling of the sexual harassment allegation.
During her tenure as interim chief, Gwinn-Villaroel received praise from Mayor Greenberg for the department’s response to a mass shooting incident in 2023 where five people were killed at a downtown bank. Louisville police were able to quickly respond to the incident and neutralize the gunman in the building’s lobby shortly after a 911 call was made. Despite this past commendation, Greenberg expressed serious concerns about the chief’s handling of the recent sexual harassment allegation, particularly in light of previous criticism from the U.S. Justice Department regarding the department’s approach to such issues. The Justice Department’s investigation following Taylor’s death revealed patterns of discrimination and violations of constitutional rights within the Louisville police force.
Aside from facing scrutiny over the handling of the sexual harassment allegation, Louisville police also received negative attention for the arrest and detention of Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top professional golfer, who was trying to access a golf course hosting the PGA Championship. Scheffler’s arrest, complete with images of him in handcuffs and his mug shot, garnered significant media coverage before the charges against him were eventually dropped due to a misunderstanding. With Gwinn-Villaroel now on temporary paid leave, Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey has been appointed as the acting chief during the investigation, as announced by Mayor Greenberg. The fate of the police chief remains uncertain pending the outcome of the investigation into her handling of the harassment allegation.
