Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.
Issue link: https://loumag.epubxp.com/i/453014
LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 2.15 25 can avoid the stigma of not promoting," Pearson says. "Tis chief we have now is the crown prince of it." An LMPD spokesman says the department's union contract forbids Conrad from making direct assignments to specialized units, including Narcotics and Homicide. Conrad can appoint certain positions such as assistant chief and has sole discretion for promoting the police ranks of major and above. fter nearly two decades in Louisville law enforcement, Gentry retired last December at age 44. She was an ofcer born in the Smoketown neighborhood, was respected among the rank-and-fle and community activists, and became LMPD's frst black female deputy chief. It was a rare accomplishment. Of the 125 ofcers who are black, 15 are women. Of the 45 would-be ofcers in this year's recruitment class, eight are black and just one is a black female. When former Chief Robert White, an African-American, stepped down in 2011, Gentry applied to succeed him, and many lobbied the mayor to appoint her to the top spot. It is hard to imagine Gentry leaving LMPD if she'd gotten the job. "Tere's nowhere else for me to move upward in that police department," says Gentry, who insists she's "happily retired" and "not looking back." Tose close to her believe she'll end up in law enforcement in another city. Others hope she makes a bid for Jeferson County sherif in a few years. "I'm not necessarily done with law enforcement," she says. A By Phillip M. Bailey Illustration by Kevlen Goodner