Janice R. Andrews
Two sexual harassment allegations that were submitted in the last month have caused serious unrest inside the scandal-plagued Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD). Within the agency, rumors of officers swinging, naked selfies, and crazy pool parties are rampant. The contentious arrest of golf celebrity Scottie Scheffler earlier this month has added to this continuing situation, prompting Police Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel to retire. Since 2020, when cops fatally shot Breonna Taylor following a botched narcotics search and sparked a nationwide media scandal, there have been three resignations of top Louisville police officers.
Allegations of Sexual Harassment Are Rocking LMPD
Sgt. Lauren Carby filed a complaint last week alleging that during a pool party at his house, a male superior tried to kiss her and that his wife, a fellow Louisville officer and her immediate boss, encouraged the tryst. According to Carby’s court filings, Lt. Jeff Lauder and Maj. Shannon Lauder, his husband, threw the “adults only” party at their residence in 2020 for the department’s Special Victims Unit members. Carby claims that the hosts quickly grew inebriated and that Shannon Lauder started kissing a detective in front of the other guests before taking off with him into a different area of the house. The married mother Carby was then approached by Jeff Lauder, who complimented her appearance and made a straight approach to have sex with her, saying that his wife approved as they were in an open relationship. According to the lawsuit, Carby turned down the offer and departed the party. She didn’t make a formal complaint at the time because she was afraid of reprisals. An investigation into the party was launched in 2022 but was finally closed due to circulating rumors inside the department. Carby is suing the agency now to recover losses.
New Concerns Come to Light
Christine Silk, a different female officer, has filed a lawsuit alleging that two of her male coworkers have harassed her regularly, with one of them even emailing her a photo of his penis. Officer Justin LeMon allegedly stated his wife’s disapproval of his frequent usage of OnlyFans and asked Silk if she would be interested in him romantically if he weren’t married. Lemon also allegedly had Silk read out his phone-written fantasies about her in a sexual manner. Silk is accused of being brutally questioned about her kid by Officer Dale Cottongim, her training teacher, and of making insulting statements in front of other police. Cottongim allegedly questioned Silk, in front of her other Academy students, “Did you have a one-night stand to have your son? Is it the reason the child has no father?” The allegations in the complaint. Cottongim was involuntarily moved and issued a letter of reprimand. Silk contends that the department did not do enough to shield her from mistreatment at work, saying, “LMPD’s actions and inadequacies have caused harassment and discrimination to affect more than just Christine. The LMPD still has a troubling internal culture in which officers’ widespread patterns of sexual misconduct and predatory behavior have been constantly covered up, disregarded, and encouraged.”
Resignation and Internal Investigations
Although she has not yet filed a lawsuit, Shannon Lauder has also said that Maj. Brian Kuriger has harassed her sexually. According to the Courier-Journal, Lauder told Gwinn-Villaroel at a covertly recorded meeting on May 22 that Kuriger “has sexually harassed me and attacked me.” I am unable to collaborate with him.” Gwinn-Villaroel announced Kuriger’s elevation after a little wait, the local news source said. After Lauder’s complaint was handled improperly, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg suspended the police chief, deeming the accusations of sexual harassment “unacceptable and inexcusable.” Tuesday marked Gwinn-Villaroel’s resignation.
The Louisville Metro Police Department does not tolerate sexual misbehavior, a spokesman for the department told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We take every allegation of this nature seriously and immediately launch internal investigations once they are brought to our attention,” the statement continues. The spokesman went on to say that one of the officers involved in the cases was moved to a different unit, while the other was put on administrative leave while an investigation was being conducted.
The Arrest of Scottie Scheffler Increases the Unrest
When golf player Scottie Scheffler was charged last month with second-degree assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, careless driving, and disobeying signals from an officer directing traffic, the already troubled agency came under further scrutiny. After local prosecutors referred to the botched case as a “big misunderstanding” over his admittance into the Valhalla Golf Club during the PGA Championship, the charges were eventually withdrawn. The event has increased the debate around the LMPD even if the charges were withdrawn.
The contentious arrest of Scottie Scheffler and the departure of Chief Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel over accusations of sexual harassment serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing unrest inside the Louisville Metro Police Department. In order to rebuild public confidence and provide a secure and courteous working environment for all officers, the sequence of events emphasizes the necessity of extensive changes and responsibility inside the organization.
