The police chief of Louisville, Kentucky, has resigned less than a year after taking the job following a sexual harassment scandal and the failed arrest of world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler.
Former Louisville Police Chief Jacqueline Gwynn Villaroel said: Resignation The notice was given on Tuesday after he was suspended for improperly handling sexual harassment allegations against the officer. Daily Mail report.
WATCH — and judge for yourself: Police release video of golf star Scottie Scheffler’s arrest:
Louisville Police Department/TMX
Gwynn-Villarroel’s resignation came after an audio recording of a May 22 meeting was made public in which Maj. Shannon Roeder was promoted to a senior leadership position less than a minute after she accused Maj. Brian Krieger of sexual harassment and assault.
“We need to reassess the situation going forward,” Gwyn Villarroel told Lauder. audio Obtained by USA Today.
At a press conference after the recording was released, Lauder’s lawyer, Jared Smith, said Gwynn Villarroel’s tone was “aggressive” and “threatening.”
Smith did not provide details about the assault or sexual harassment allegations, but said he had been hired by Lauder before the May 22 meeting to investigate the allegations over the past four years.
After the scandal came to light, Gwynn Villarroel was suspended from his job and two more officers subsequently filed lawsuits against LMPD alleging sexual harassment.
Things seem to have gotten messy when Shannon Roeder’s husband, Lt. Jeff Roeder, was named as an employee. was suggested The plaintiff, Sergeant Lauren Kirby, alleges sexual conduct at a party in 2020. USA Today The action was reportedly “encouraged” by Shannon Roeder.
The other lawsuit, filed by Officer Christine Silk, accuses two male officers of sexual harassment, including Silk’s field training officer, Justin Lemon, who claims that Officer Silk sent unsolicited nude photos to him after he turned down his advances.
Krieger, LeMond and the Roeder brothers have all been placed on administrative leave.
Gwynn Villarroel, who only recently took over as permanent chairman in July 2023, was also plagued by the scandal involving number one athlete Scottie Scheffler. arrested Except for the PGA Championship in May.
A judge has been accused of “assaulting” a traffic officer while trying to enter Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Fired All charges against the champion golfer were dropped after video footage revealed he had failed to do so.
The Louisville Metro Police Department released this video in connection with the arrest of Scottie Scheffler at the PGA Championship.
Scheffler appears to have quickly turned around and stopped as police pursued him.
His charges include assaulting a police officer and reckless driving.pic.twitter.com/jpKyQ3MDco
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 23, 2024
Despite the seemingly clear-cut case, Gwynn Villarroel vowed to “respect the legal process” and “let it all pass” after news of the shocking arrest broke, the report said. Daily Mail.
The police department came under fire after it emerged that Detective Brian Gillis, who claimed he was injured after being struck by Scheffler’s car during a traffic accident, had violated rules by not turning on his body camera.
.translation: Regarding the arrest of Scottie Scheffler, Chief Jacqueline Gwynn Villaroel said, “Detective Gillis should have turned on his body camera but failed to do so. … Our officers received corrective action for this violation of policy.” pic.twitter.com/93YaHxdkOe
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) May 23, 2024
Mayor Craig Greenberg announced Gwynn Villarroel’s resignation at Tuesday’s council meeting. Press conferenceIn it, he said the conduct alleged in the lawsuit was “unacceptable and inexcusable.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced that Police Chief Jacqueline Gwynn Villarroel will resign effective immediately.
She had been placed on administrative leave over her handling of the sexual harassment allegations.
Acting Police Chief Paul Humphrey will serve as interim chief.
— Lachlan McLean 📺 (@LachTalk) June 25, 2024
“All coworkers should be treated with respect,” Greenberg says, “and everyone has a responsibility to treat others with respect. That should apply in any workplace.”
The mayor added that the investigation into the harassment allegations is “ongoing.”
Greenberg did not say whether the police chief resigned voluntarily or was asked to leave by the department, but he appointed Paul Humphrey, who became acting chief after Gwynn Villarroel was suspended June 12, as interim chief.
Humphrey is the department’s fourth interim chief since 2020, following a series of Louisville Police Department scandals, including the March 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor.
