LMPD honored for 2022′s decrease in violent crime, but 2023 gets off to dangerous start

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - There have been 16 homicides in Louisville’s first four weeks of 2023.

Three of them were in the LMPD’s Fifth Division that covers the highlands and Irish Hill neighborhoods.

On Sunday, District 8 Metro Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong hosted a celebration at the Bellwether Hotel for how much they’ve reduced crime in the area from 2021 to 2022.

Sunday was a day of appreciation for LMPD’s Fifth Division.

They said violent crime, including shootings, aggravated assaults and robberies, were down 80% from 2021 to 2022.

Something LMPD Major Jason Grissom credits to hard work.

“We had developed a lot better communication and relationship with a lot of the business and especially the bars,” Grissom said. “We got a lot of communication and a lot of cooperation from them to kind of stem some of the problems we’ve seen overall.”

That newfound bond was evident at the Bellwether Hotel on Sunday. Business owners, neighbors and city leaders all joined in on the festivities, including Louisville’s new mayor.

“I think today shows that we’re forward in a new direction,” Mayor Craig Greenberg said. “That our police are going to work well with our community work together to prevent crime from happening. To treat people well and to be transparent.”

However in 2023, crime is happening. There have been three homicides in the Fifth Division since the new year rolled in.

The first happened in the 400 block of East Oak Street, the second right outside Wick’s Pizza, and the last one, on Cooper Street.

Grissom said those numbers don’t tell the full story.

“I don’t know what that exactly is contributed to, but looking at the big picture and overall we are very much down in violent crime,” Grissom said. “We are going to continue with the same strategy and we’re not going to deviate from that because it has been shown to work.”

A strategy Greenberg said he wants to be a part of. He said his number one priority is to reduce violent crime and hopes to crack down on illegal guns and wants to invest in the youth.

“Giving every child a better education, more opportunities for hope,” Greenberg said. “More summer jobs, more after school jobs, more enrichment programs, we need to reopen community centers and expand their programming so our youth don’t turn to a life of crime but pursue a productive, safe and happy life.”

Grissom said his team is going to focus on what’s worked but if things don’t change further into the year then they’ll readjust, allocate more resources and call for help.

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