LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — City officials say millions of dollars in investments in the Louisville Metro Police Department will have an enormous impact on both the LMPD and neighborhoods throughout the city.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced investments in four major areas at a news conference Thursday morning:
- Fast-tracking renovations on LMPD headquarters
- Opening a wellness center
- Funding for employee incentives/retention bonuses
- Creating a new narcotics-focused tipline
Fast-Track Renovations of New LMPD Headquarters
Greenberg said $14 million of American Rescue Plan funding is being expedited to renovate the new LMPD Headquarters at 601 W. Chestnut Street that was purchased in 2021 for $6.8 million. Once complete it will house all LMPD employees under one roof for the “first time in a generation.”
The additional $14 million will be earmarked for roof replacement, elevator renovation, HVAC upgrades, and electrical needs. This funding is in addition to $13 million that was allocated to the project last year.
“I want to move fast with strengthening our police department” Greenberg said in a written statement. “Having a new headquarters and centralized police department will go a long way to ensuring transparency, accountability, and improve service to our community.”
LMPD Wellness Center
Greenberg said the Metro Police Foundation has purchased a building that will serve as the LMPD Wellness Center. More than a workout facility, it will be a space where LMPD officers and staff can receive the physical and mental health support. It will be located on Presidents Boulevard near Eastern Parkway.
“Our officers serve a crucial role in our community and we need to remember they have a uniquely stressful position which needs unique support,” LMPD Interim Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said in a written statement. “This new Wellness Center, planned with the specific needs of officers in mind, is a win-win for Louisville. Planned with the demands placed on these officers in mind, it will help assist officers to be their healthiest both in body and spirt. And healthier officers can only help create healthier neighborhoods.”
ARP funds will pay for the purchase of the building from the University of Louisville for nearly $1.5 million. LMPD will then lease the building from the Foundation for $419,000 a year, through 2026, for a total of approximately $1.6 million. The lease payments will come from ARP funds made available by the Federal American Rescue Plan. The rate will be reduced to $1 per year after 2026, when ARP funds are depleted.
Public Safety Signing and Retention Bonuses
Signing and retention bonuses for employees of LMPD, Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services and Louisville Metro Emergency Management Agency are being reinstated after they were suspended at the end of 2022.
The city will reinstate the bonuses as soon as the full Metro Council approves amendments that were approved by the Metro Council Budget Committee. The revised schedule allows for 50% of the bonuses to be paid upon the completion of required training and the remaining 50% paid after twelve months thereafter.
New Anonymous Narcotics Tip Line
The current 574-LMPD tip line will remain in place along with a new tip line specifically for tips pertaining to drugs. The number is 502-574-2580.
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