LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Fraternal Order of Police and the city of Louisville have reached a tentative agreement on two contracts that dictate pay, hours and terms of employment for Louisville Metro Police officers, including a bump in salary. The contracts are seeing support and some pushback.

What You Need To Know

  • Some officers could see increases to pay by 7% under a new contract negotiated between the Fraternal Order of Police and the city of Louisville

  • Mayor Craig Greenberg said the Louisville Metro Police Department is short over 200 officers 

  • Current officer and sergeant starting salaries are over $52,000 and starting in July pay could jump to over $56,000

  • The contracts still needs to be approved by Metro Council and the officers covered under the contract.

Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, estimates that LMPD is understaffed by more than 200 officers. He said in a statement that by offering a competitive wage it will help reduce the city’s officer shortage.

Nagely Duarte was born and raised in the area around Preston Highway and said she supports the tentative contracts that would give some officers an almost 7% pay increase.

“As much as we all want to live in a safe neighborhood, as much as we all want to have every business safe, it is impossible with the amount of police force that we have on the streets right now,” said Duarte, who serves as board chair for the Preston Area Business Alliance.

The Preston Area Business Alliance aims to help businesses in the area. As board chair, she said business owners are telling her that crime has been a challenge for them. Duarte said she hopes that with a pay increase there will be a greater police presence. 

“Obviously, we want more patrolling going around due to all the robbing that has been going on, the vandalism and, of course, you know, gun issues that have been surrounding the community,” said Duarte.

Current officer and sergeant starting salaries are over $52,000 and starting in July pay could jump to over $56,000. 

“So that’s kind of like why I’m like, you know, why do you want to not raise somebody’s salary when they get paid like, so horrible and you know, they’re risking their lives for us,” she said.

Other community organizations do not support the contracts. The Louisville Urban League said there should have been more transparency in the contract negotiation process.

“We always believed that the process should’ve been more open and that the public should have had an opportunity to participate in negotiations, particularly given all of the issues that LMPD has had,” said Lyndon Pryor, president and CEO of Louisville Urban League.

The contracts still need to be approved by Metro Council, and the officers covered under the contract.

Louisville Metro Police has been working under expired contracts since June. If the new contracts are passed, they won’t expire until 2027.

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