Louisville swears in 24 new LMPD officers as recruitment efforts gain traction
A total of 24 new officers officially joined the Louisville Metro Police Department on Friday, taking the oath to serve and protect the community.
“We don’t do this job because it’s easy, we do it because it’s hard,” LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey said during the ceremony.
Humphrey emphasized the city’s need for dedicated officers.
“This city needs you. They want you out there. They need you to be the best version of you,” he said.
Savannah Gilbert, the valedictorian of Metro Academy Class 65, shared her excitement about starting her career.
“I feel relieved, honestly, at this point. Like, to finally hit that mark and now I’m going to go out and do the real thing and get out there and do what I signed up to do. I’m feeling relieved and excited,” Gilbert said.
Gilbert, whose father served as a police officer, said LMPD’s culture and benefits were major factors in her decision to join.
“It’s definitely a really innovative department. They have so many opportunities. Like, that’s one of the things that they’ve kept talking about through this process and, you know, if you do get burnt out or tired or something, there’s something else you can find here that will easily, you know, take you a different route,” she said.
Elias Kopetz, another recruit, highlighted the department’s benefits, including the Summit Wellness Center.
“When you look at other agencies, like, they ask for a lot and it’s not, you don’t think you offer as much as they offer here,” Kopetz said. “We get so much more from things like the wellness center, from higher pay, and it’s either the same amount of work or even less, so I think it’s great here."
According to LMPD, the department remains about 300 officers short despite the addition of the new class.
However, this class's recruits said the department’s new strategies, such as higher pay, better benefits, and more resources, are making a difference.
“The fact that they do take mental health seriously, they do take physical health seriously. They just have a lot of things to help you become a better person,” Gilbert said.
The next class of recruits is set to begin on July 20, but is already full. Another class will start in November, with applications still being accepted.
