Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg signed an executive order Monday creating a new commission focused on public safety and policing reform.
Known as the Community Safety Commission, the 22-person board will receive regular reports from the Louisville Metro Police Department and a third-party monitor that the city plans to hire to oversee the implementation of the slew of policing reforms outlined in the “Community Commitment.” That plan includes many of the changes to policy and training that the city agreed to as part of a federal consent decree last year. Louisville Metro plans to implement those reforms, even with President Donald Trump’s administration trying to pull out of the consent decree.
Commission members are also expected to provide “constructive feedback” to the city and police department, Greenberg said. At a press conference Monday afternoon, Greenberg said he wants the Community Safety Commission to be representative of residents’ experiences.
“Our goal is to get as broad of representation as possible of folks that are very interested in these areas, that have worked in these areas, that have different points of view in these areas,” he said. “So, people who live in low-income communities, people who live in neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by violent crime in their backyards, we want you on the Community Safety Commission.”
Anyone interested in joining the Community Safety Commission must apply online at Louisvilleky.gov/SafeLouisville within the next two weeks. Ultimately, Greenberg’s office will choose who will serve on the board.
The commission will be made up of one resident from each of LMPD’s eight patrol districts. There will also be representatives from seven community organizations, as well as seven representatives from various government agencies, including the court system, prosecutors and Metro Council.
Greenberg said the reason for capping the number of people on the Community Safety Commission at 22 is to ensure its “a manageable group.”
Any residents without internet access can go to one of seventeen public library branches across Louisville Metro. City leaders say libraries will be ready to help people fill out the application for the commission.
