Louisville police chief suspended for handling sexual harassment complaint

By Dylan Lovan
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville’s police chief was suspended this week for Complaint of sexual harassmentthe major’s lawyer said on Thursday.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg made a surprise announcement Wednesday night that Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel would be placed on leave for her poor handling of a sexual harassment complaint against Louisville police officers. Greenberg did not elaborate on the nature of the allegation or who was involved in the incident.

The sexual harassment complaint was filed by Maj. Shannon Lauder against another major, a man. Lauder reported it to Gwinn-Villaroel during a command staff meeting in May, and later at the same meeting the man was promoted to lieutenant colonel, attorney Jared Smith said.

At the meeting, Gwinn-Villaroel asked if there were any concerns about working with other members of the command staff, Smith said in an email statement.

“I’m not going to tolerate a major who doesn’t get along with another major and doesn’t support him because you all have a problem,” Smith said Gwinn-Villaroel told the command staff at the meeting. “And if you can’t do that, give me your stuff today.”

Lauder was joining remotely due to illness and was recording the meeting, Smith said. After the chief called her on, Lauder identified a male major and said he had “sexually harassed and assaulted her. I cannot work with him,” Smith said.

Shortly thereafter, the chief announced the major’s promotion to lieutenant colonel, Smith said.

“The Chief’s response to Major Lauder’s allegation paints a disturbing picture of a department that lacks strong leadership and does not put the well-being of its officers first,” Smith said.

Louisville police referred questions about Lauder’s allegations to the mayor’s office on Thursday. A spokesman for the mayor said he could not comment due to an ongoing internal investigation.

Greenberg said on Wednesday that he was seriously concerned about the boss’s handling of the allegation, especially given the US Department of Justice investigation which was completed last year. The Justice Department said it “found deficiencies” in the Louisville Police Department’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct or domestic violence among officers.

“I will not tolerate sexual misconduct in Louisville city government, including in the LMPD,” Greenberg said Wednesday.

Smith said Lauder did not report the alleged harassment before, although she “explored opportunities to report the complaint confidentially.” But Lauder felt compelled to complain in front of her colleagues “due to the manner in which she was embarrassed by the boss,” Smith said.

Gwinn-Villaroel was named chief less than a year ago, becoming the first black woman to lead the department in a full-time position.