Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel has resigned less than two weeks after she was placed on administrative leave for her handling of internal sexual harassment allegations, Mayor Craig Greenberg announced at a news conference Tuesday.
Greenberg said he accepted Gwinn-Villaroel's resignation that morning but declined to say whether he asked her to resign, as well as whether he would have fired her if she had not, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.
Paul Humphrey, who has been leading the department as acting chief following her suspension, will lead the department as interim chief.There will not be a search for a permanent chief at this time, Greenberg said, adding LMPD's priorities should be more centered around improvement of its anti-sexual harassments policies, its fight against violent crime and its consent decree negotiations with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Gwinn-Villaroel's resignation follows the public release of a recording that seemingly documented her promoting a major in the department — Brian Kuriger — to a senior leadership role less than a minute after fellow major Shannon Lauder said he had "sexually harassed and attacked" her. Greenberg said the investigation into that matter is still ongoing.