New Task Force to Address Spike in Violence

LMPD, ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshals Join Together for “Operation Trust”

Credit: Louisville Metro Police

As this year’s murder count spikes in Louisville, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad promises that they are addressing the issue which he says “tear[s] at the fabric of our community.”  Conrad was joined at a recent press conference by a number of federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, ATF and the U.S. Marshal Service.  Together the law enforcement agencies comprise the new task force which will carry out “Operation Trust” to address the violence.

Chief Conrad asked the community to not only trust them but “to help us by becoming part of the solution to the violent crime problems we’re seeing.”  That violence includes the 20+ homicides in Louisville so far this year – far above the three at this time last year.  Despite the increase in homicide numbers, LMPD personnel point out that the number of shootings is about the same as in previous years although more of the shootings have resulted in deaths.

Conrad promised that the new taskforce would get to the root of the violence.  According to the LMPD homicide unit’s Lt. Todd Kessinger, that root is likely one of the common elements in a vast majority of the metro area’s crime and violence:  drug activity.  At this time, the task force is expected to focus on two neighborhoods in particular – the Russell neighborhood, in LMPD’s 1st division and the Shawnee neighborhood in the 2nd division – which account for three quarters of the shootings so far this year.

LMPD is asking anyone with information about crimes in the metro areas, including the multiple unsolved murders, to call its tip line at 574-LMPD.