Second sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Louisville Metro Police

A Louisville Metro Police officer has filed a lawsuit against her department, claiming she expected retaliation after speaking to internal investigators about sexual harassment by a higher-ranking officer.

Sergeant Lauren Carby filed the lawsuit Thursday, accusing Lt. Jeff Lauder of soliciting sex from her at a pool party in 2020 at the suggestion of his wife, Maj. Shannon Lauder.

This is the second lawsuit filed this week alleging sexual harassment within the department. Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was previously suspended while handling a third sexual harassment allegation.

Mayor Craig Greenberg has not released the names of the officers involved in the allegation that led to the police chief’s suspension, but an attorney for Shannon Lauder linked the allegation to a May 22 meeting in which his client raised concerns about working with Major Brian Kuriger, who he said sexually harassed and “assaulted” her.

A lawsuit represents only one side of the case.

In the new filing, Carby says she previously worked under Shannon Lauder in the department’s Special Victims Unit, where Shannon Lauder created a toxic and inappropriate work environment, according to Carby.

Carby claims she was invited to a pool party in August 2020 hosted by the Lauders after Shannon Lauder was promoted to major and took command of the LMPD’s first patrol division.

Carby said that at that party, Jeff Lauder, then a supervisor in the LMPD training unit, approached her and repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances, which she repeatedly rejected.

Carby said Jeff Lauder made inappropriate comments about her appearance on several occasions, made sexual advances to her, and expressed a desire for a long-term sexual relationship with her.

According to the lawsuit, Shannon Lauder knew about these advances and encouraged Carby to have a sexual relationship with her husband.

Carby did not file a complaint at the time, the lawsuit says. However, an internal investigation into the incident was launched in late 2022 when another senior official filed a complaint. Carby said she fully cooperated with investigators at the time.

This decision significantly damaged her career at the LMPD, the lawsuit states.

In 2023, Carby said she was interested in other internal positions but was regularly passed over despite receiving positive recommendations and being the better candidate for each position.

“Lauren was aware that the last few years would have been enormously easier for her professionally if she had simply slept with Jeff Lauder in 2020,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that Carby is not the only victim of harassment and discrimination by members of the LMPD. The department has “a disturbing internal culture in which widespread patterns of harassment, sexual misconduct, predatory behavior and discrimination by its members have been repeatedly excused, ignored, concealed, encouraged and justified.”

This story may need updating.

Reach reporter Rachel Smith at[email protected] or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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