Advertisement Questionable traffic stops prompt LMPD chief to issue policy change Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Following a heated Metro Council meeting in April in which Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad was questioned about the department’s policy on traffic stops, Conrad has issued a change in policy. Conrad released a video on YouTube sharing some of the new policy’s highlights:Officers must conduct each interaction without bias If a driver is nervous or in a high crime area, it is not justification for officer action Guidelines for handcuffing people who are not under arrest, removing them from the vehicle or ordering them to sit on the ground Other procedural changes include how to document an officer’s actionsConrad said these changes will enhance officer safety, reinforce values, give more guidance and improve trust for those in the community who may question what officers do. Each officer will be trained on the new policies by the end of July. The new policy will take effect on August 1, 2019.The traffic stop policy questioning at April’s Metro Council meeting stemmed from a handful of incidents involving African-American drivers. >> Video of Louisville teen's traffic stop sparks debate over police policiesThe Louisville Metro Police Department has launched an investigation into a traffic stop captured on police body cameras involving a teen. WATCH the chief's full video here