Louisville Republicans call for new jail, more troopers and judicial transparency

Republican members of Louisville’s Metro Council have unveiled a broad package of public safety proposals they say will help make the city one of the safest in the country.

The “Safer Louisville” agenda includes more than a dozen legislative and policy proposals. Many of them require coordination with Gov. Andy Beshear’s office and the Kentucky State Police. Council members said during a Sept. 9 press conference at City Hall they intend to discuss and advance the proposals over the next year.

Key items in the plan include:

• Requesting Beshear’s support to assign state troopers to traffic enforcement on interstates and in construction zones

• Amending local ordinances to ban the exchange of money, food or other items between people in vehicles and individuals outside the vehicle

• Launching two pilot programs to increase street lighting in high-crime areas identified by police

• Seeking additional funding from the state and other agencies for the construction of a new first responder training facility

• Strengthening local laws against illegal ATV use on public land.

Republican council members also renewed calls for the construction of a new jail, arguing that the current facility is outdated and unsafe. Originally converted from an office building in 1990, the existing jail was not designed for correctional use and lacks adequate sightlines for corrections officers to monitor housing units, according to a 2023 city-commissioned report.

Anthony Piagentini, Metro Council member for District 19 and minority caucus chair, also said he had spoken to judges who told him that they feel pressure not to place people in the facility because of overcrowding concerns.

“Whether somebody should go to jail or not should have nothing to do with whether or not it’s overcrowded,” Piagentini said. “It should have to do with whether or not it’s the right place for them at the right time, given the crimes they’ve committed.”

As of Sept. 9, the jail population had reached 1,530 — approximately 11% above its rated capacity and the highest level in nearly four years.

Focus on transparency and judicial accountability

The GOP caucus is also proposing the creation of a third-party “judicial scorecard” to monitor release rates, shock probation and other key metrics.

The call for the tool follows a recent case in which a man, while on shock probation, was accused of abducting a mother and her two children en route to a bank robbery. It would be developed in collaboration with the mayor’s office, the Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk, the Fraternal Order of Police and other stakeholders.

In addition, Republicans are calling for greater transparency in the work of prosecutors.

“The public should know how many deals are being cut, how many charges are being dropped, who is making these decisions and why these decisions are being made,” Piagentini said. “LMPD is going to have this level of scrutiny; we should be scrutinizing those who are taking the charges from LMPD and what decisions they are making before it gets to the judiciary.”

Mental health, youth crime and juvenile justice

The GOP proposal also recommends giving local officials more tools to work with people in need of clinical care, along with increased authority for police and judges to intervene in cases where parental neglect contributes to youth crime.

Council Republicans are urging state leaders to prioritize the reopening of the city’s youth detention center, which closed in 2019. Juveniles arrested in Louisville are currently transported to facilities outside Jefferson County.

Councilmember Kevin Bratcher, a former state representative with nearly 30 years in the legislature, described the situation as urgent.

“The Department of Juvenile Justice needs to be up here and pretend like it’s a dam getting ready to break and flood the whole city,” Bratcher said.

A Deliberate Rollout

Piagentini said the unveiling of the proposals was not tied to a specific event but was the result of eight months of brainstorming. He added that the caucus intentionally timed the announcement to coincide with Law Enforcement Appreciation Month.

Following Republican gains in last November’s election, the party now holds 12 of the 26 seats on Metro Council, its most significant representation since 2003.

Piagentini said the caucus will release regular public updates to track the progress of their agenda.

“It’s time for everybody to be all in on reducing crime and making Louisville a safe city,” Piagentini said. “Louisville should be one of the safest large cities in the country, and we can get there. But it’s going to take everybody working together at every level of government to accomplish that.”

At a separate press conference held about an hour after Republicans unveiled their public safety agenda, Mayor Craig Greenberg said his administration is already working to implement many of the same initiatives. He said he would need more time to review the GOP proposals in detail before responding to each item individually.

“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made to improve public safety,” Greenberg said. “We know we can and must do more and do it faster, and that’s exactly what we’re working on every day.”

In a statement, District 1 Councilmember and Majority Caucus Chair Tammy Hawkins said much of the GOP agenda aligns with the mayor’s existing public safety plan.

“At the same time, lasting safety means more than enforcement — it requires investment in housing, mental health services, youth, and good jobs,” the statement read. “Though the Metro Council has no authority over judges and prosecutors, we have the responsibility to ensure new policies build prevention, accountability, and community trust.”

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Republicans seek tougher local laws, state help on crime