Louisville KY selects Steve Conrad as new police chief www.privateofficer.com

 

 

LOUISVILLE, KY Feb 22 2012 – Mayor Greg Fischer announced Tuesday that Steve Conrad will become the new chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department. He will be the second person to serve as chief of the merged department.

Conrad is a Louisville native who currently serves of chief of police in Glendale, AZ. Mayor Fischer’s office said Conrad earned accolades as a strong, steady and compassionate leader.

“Steve has deep knowledge of Louisville — its neighborhoods, its people, its history — but he also has an outsider’s perspective, having left his hometown to serve as chief in Glendale,” said Fischer. “He has a passion for law enforcement, for Louisville and for LMPD, which was evident from the time I spent with him in Arizona over the weekend and from the many Arizona citizens that I interviewed about him.”

Conrad said he was honored and humbled to be selected for the job.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity to lead the Louisville Metro Police Department,” Conrad said. “It is an incredible organization filled with men and women who are willing to do what it takes to make our community safer. I am truly honored to have the opportunity to work with them again.”

Conrad began his career in 1980 as a patrol officer with the Louisville Division of Police. He patrolled the Portland, Russell, Shawnee and California neighborhoods. He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming assistant chief of LPD from 1997 to 1999.

During the administration of Mayor David Armstrong, Conrad was replaced as assistant chief and returned to his civil service rank of captain. But with the merger of the city of Louisville and Jefferson County governments in 2003, Conrad was named one of the first assistant chiefs of the new Louisville Metro Police Department. In that role, Conrad oversaw the day-to-day administration and helped develop the first budget for the newly merged department.

In 2005, Conrad became chief to 600 employees of the Glendale Police Department, which has an annual budget of $70 million.

Chief Conrad will spend Tuesday meeting with LMPD officers and leaders across Louisville. On Wednesday, he will meet with various community groups before returning to Arizona.

Conrad was among 16 people who applied for the chief’s position and one of the five finalists for the job. As LMPD chief, Conrad will be paid $165,000. He will begin his new duties on March 19.

Source: WAVE