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LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 2.17 75 A few hours with detectives on this night and the sheer volume of 2016 becomes obvious. ey can't find any more black folders. Let me back up: During a homicide investigation, de- tectives use black folders to keep track of paperwork — witness statements, coroner's reports, etc. Green folders indicate a death investigation, like a suicide. Tonight, they're so low on black folders they have to go digging around in drawers. Detectives who used to tackle two or three cases per year are now assigned to six or seven. "You're so busy you feel certain cases can't get the attention they deserve," Speaks says. "at eats at us because we want to solve everything we get. We take pride in our work. e most gratifying thing is to call up a family member and say, 'Hey, we locked someone up for the death of your loved one.'" (By year's end, 65 of LMPD's 118 homicides will be cleared, a rate slightly lower than the national average.) Chief Conrad and Mayor Fischer spend a lot of time convincing Louis- ville that they're "tackling the scourge" (Fischer's words). A controversial restructuring of LMPD will now target hotspots of crime and drug activity, Conrad says. ere's a new unit fo- cused on community engagement. e mayor's on board with hiring "inter- rupters," folks with deep street ties that can hopefully mend conflicts before they end in gunfire. A new program called Pivot to Peace focuses on hook- ing shooting victims up with whatever resources they need, be it employment opportunities or therapy or drug treat- ment. It's had success in other cities. So patience, please. We're trying, Conrad and Fischer assure and reassure. e radio chirps again. Shots fired near Beecher Terrace. All units advise, possibly an AK-47. A lanky, animated sergeant with a demeanor that, at least tonight, is just shy of boiling, bellows, "Open the windows!" as he flies up from his desk. "Maybe we can hear it!" McKinley walks in a few minutes later, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, her hands shoved into her black coat's pockets. "Hey, lieutenant, we have another one," a detective says. "Really?" McKinley says in a flat tone. "No, I'm just kidding." Another detective grumbles sarcas- tically that maybe if he picks up a ho- micide before Christmas, "I can spend time with my family" on the holiday. e unit relies on humor, often dark humor, but humor nonetheless. When the call went out for the murder at 25th and Burwell, groans gave way to jokes: "I'm sick of FaceTiming with my daughter!" "I'm on a milk carton." "My wife's gonna divorce me." "at's why we're always hanging out together. We can't go home!" To me: "Anne, you drink?" Me: "Oh, yes." em: "Welcome to homicide." It's about 10:30 now. A college foot- ball game plays on a television mount- ed to a wall near the conference room. Debrief on the record-breaker will take place in a few minutes over Spinelli's pizza. A middle-aged detective holding a soda can stops to look at the game for a minute. en he turns to me. "is is how the rest of Louisville lives, to be honest," he says. "Ain't no sugarcoating it — three murders in two days." "Detectives who used to tackle two or three cases per year are now assigned to six or seven. 'You're so busy you feel certain cases can't get the attention they deserve,'" detective Jody Speaks says.