LOUISVILLE, KY – Following an officer involved shooting of a woman undergoing a mental health crisis this past March, the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) is conducting a review of their use of force policies where public participation throughout the process is being strongly encouraged.
On March 27th, LMPD officers responded to a call off of South Hurstbourne Parkway regarding a woman, later identified as 28-year-old Katelyn Hall, who had reportedly locked herself inside a bathroom at the residence and was expressing suicidal ideations.
Officers on scene reportedly made the decision to breach the door of the bathroom Hall had locked herself inside of, with LMPD officials saying the woman had charged at officers with a sharp object, leading to two officers opening fire on Hall.
Following the officer involved shooting, the two officers involved in the critical incident, identified as Officers Robert Baker and Robert Gabbard, were placed on administrative leave while the Public Integrity Unit leads an investigation into the matter.
The LMPD is currently reviewing their policies and procedures regarding use of force, with the department’s website linking to the current policies and requesting community feedback and “will incorporate changes and make necessary adjustments based on the feedback that is received.”
LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey noted that the practice of gathering community feedback on their policies has been the standard for the past couple of years, further adding, “We’ve gotten good feedback both internally from the department and externally from the community. But now, we’re in the formal review process of our policy based on the community commitment.”
Amber Duke, the executive director of the ACLU of Kentucky, noted the timeliness of the policy review in relation to the March 27th incident, saying, “I think there are a lot of conversations that continue as a community in terms of when police officers are encountering folks who are in a mental episode or in some sort of behavioral health distress, how do we meet the needs of that person at the time?”
Chief Humphrey concurred with the notion that mental health calls are often complex in nature and that his department is working diligently to gather all the facts of the latest incident in the hope that better outcomes overall can be achieved when officers respond to such calls.
“No one goes into these situations hoping or expecting for this outcome. Not the families, not the officers and certainly not the community,” Chief Humphrey stated, adding, “I’m asking for your patience as we attempt to learn and understand everything that happened.”
On March 27th, LMPD officers responded to a call off of South Hurstbourne Parkway regarding a woman, later identified as 28-year-old Katelyn Hall, who had reportedly locked herself inside a bathroom at the residence and was expressing suicidal ideations.
Officers on scene reportedly made the decision to breach the door of the bathroom Hall had locked herself inside of, with LMPD officials saying the woman had charged at officers with a sharp object, leading to two officers opening fire on Hall.
Following the officer involved shooting, the two officers involved in the critical incident, identified as Officers Robert Baker and Robert Gabbard, were placed on administrative leave while the Public Integrity Unit leads an investigation into the matter.
The LMPD is currently reviewing their policies and procedures regarding use of force, with the department’s website linking to the current policies and requesting community feedback and “will incorporate changes and make necessary adjustments based on the feedback that is received.”
LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey noted that the practice of gathering community feedback on their policies has been the standard for the past couple of years, further adding, “We’ve gotten good feedback both internally from the department and externally from the community. But now, we’re in the formal review process of our policy based on the community commitment.”
Amber Duke, the executive director of the ACLU of Kentucky, noted the timeliness of the policy review in relation to the March 27th incident, saying, “I think there are a lot of conversations that continue as a community in terms of when police officers are encountering folks who are in a mental episode or in some sort of behavioral health distress, how do we meet the needs of that person at the time?”
Chief Humphrey concurred with the notion that mental health calls are often complex in nature and that his department is working diligently to gather all the facts of the latest incident in the hope that better outcomes overall can be achieved when officers respond to such calls.
“No one goes into these situations hoping or expecting for this outcome. Not the families, not the officers and certainly not the community,” Chief Humphrey stated, adding, “I’m asking for your patience as we attempt to learn and understand everything that happened.”
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