LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The world watched in horror as law enforcement officers in Uvalde, Texas waited while students and teachers pleaded for help during a mass shooting earlier this summer. 

Louisville’s top police officer isn’t happy about the police response there. On Wednesday, she and her office outlined how the department prepares and trains for mass shootings.

“It’s been alarming. It was an absolute epic failure on so many fronts by law enforcement.” Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields said as she spoke in front of the Louisville Public Safety Committee. “What I would submit is that for any agency that thinks that wouldn’t happen to them. That’s arrogant and you’re not doing your community a service.”

Shields feels like LMPD is doing a lot of things right. She told city leaders she spent much of her free time over the last two days reviewing the Texas House of Representatives’ after-action report on Uvalde, and specifically Robb Elementary School.

Over the years, more and more public areas such as schools, concerts, religious institutions, grocery stores and malls have become targets, according to Shields.

“I hate that I come here on the heels of three high-profile mass shooting incidents. Buffalo, Highland Park and Uvalde. Unfortunately, I may be forgetting one, which says a lot about the state of where we are,” Shields said.

Shields said there are two main units to help the department prepare for mass shootings. They are the Operational unit and the Homeland Security unit. Shields said the Homeland Security unit gathers and distributes intelligence in the department. Shields said their work is to identify perceived threats, interview people, assess threats and see if there’s violence associated with it.

“In reviewing our policy this morning, re-reviewing it, I’m not happy with it,” Shields added. “People have to know you have a gun and a badge and a vest for a reason. Get in there. I have plans to intensify and step up our training.”