Louisville police chief resigns after being suspended for mishandling sexual harassment allegations

By Dylan Lovan
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Louisville Police Chief, Suspended at the beginning of the month for mishandling an allegation of sexual harassment against an officer, has resigned, Mayor Craig Greenberg said Tuesday.

Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel is the third full-time Louisville police chief to resign or be fired since 2020. The department’s leadership has experienced a revolving door since then. Breonna Taylor shot during a botched drug raid this year.

Greenberg appointed Paul Humphrey, who took over as acting police chief after Gwinn-Villaroel was suspended on June 12, as interim chief, the fourth interim chief since 2020. Greenberg said Humphrey will have the full powers of a police chief now that Gwinn-Villaroel has resigned.

The department has been in turmoil in recent weeks with allegations of sexual harassment. Last week, two female police officers filed lawsuits alleging they had been sexually harassed by colleagues over the past few years.

Greenberg said Tuesday that the conduct alleged in the lawsuit was “unacceptable and inexcusable.”

Officers in Charlotte responded to a 911 call after real-time video from the police crime center showed a man with a gun at the scene of a suspected drug sale.

“Because the drones can connect directly to our real-time crime center, we can provide more information to our officers,” said Police Chief Pamela Smith.

Emergency calls for Pinole, Hercules and San Pablo were diverted to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and routed to communications centers.

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“Everyone should be treated with respect by their colleagues,” Greenberg said. “And everyone has a responsibility to treat others with respect. That should be the case in every workplace.”

Gwinn-Villaroel was suspended for mishandling a sexual harassment complaint filed by Maj. Shannon Lauder against a fellow police officer. Lauder reported it to Gwinn-Villaroel during a command staff meeting in May, but the major was later promoted to lieutenant colonel by Gwinn-Villaroel at the same meeting. Lauder said she spoke up at the meeting after Gwinn-Villaroel asked if there were any concerns about working with other members of the command staff.

Greenberg did not elaborate Tuesday on why Gwinn-Villaroel resigned or whether he asked her to leave the department.

Greenberg said sexual harassment training procedures will be improved and the department’s policy that requires complaints of harassment to go through an officer’s chain of command will be changed to give officers other ways to report those complaints. Officers who violate the sexual harassment policy could be fired, he said.

Greenberg said there is currently no active search for a new full-time chief executive.

Gwinn-Villaroel came to Louisville from the Atlanta Police Department in 2021 along with former Louisville Police Chief Erika Shields and was hired by her as deputy police chief. Gwinn-Villaroel was appointed full-time boss in July 2023.