Louisville Police Chief Vows to Work to Regain Confidence

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Rank-and-file Louisville police officers have given a no-confidence vote to the city’s police chief, but he is vowing to work to regain their confidence.

The two-day vote signals frustrations are boiling over in a department struggling with a record-high murder rate and mounting tension over officers’ use of force.

Some 98 percent of police union members casting ballots indicated they lacked confidence in Chief Steve Conrad’s leadership. Turnout amounted to about half the membership of River City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 614.

In a statement Thursday, Conrad praised officers for doing “amazing work,” but defended a series of initiatives since he took over as chief in 2012.

On Thursday, the police union’s president, Dave Mutchler, said it “remains to be seen” whether its members think Conrad should resign.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.