LMPD major shares details of secretly recorded meeting

An attorney for Maj. Shannon Lauder, a senior officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department, has shared more details about a secretly recorded meeting that he says led to the suspension of Chief Jaquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel.

In a statement released Thursday, attorney Jared Smith said Lauder expressed concerns about working with then-Maj. Brian Kuriger during a May 22 meeting between Gwinn-Villaroel and members of his staff.

Kuriger, Lauder said, “sexually harassed me and attacked me. I can’t work with him.”

According to a recording of the meeting shared with The Courier Journal, which has not been independently verified, seconds of silence follow the major’s allegations before Gwinn-Villaroel resumes.

A minute later, Gwinn-Villaroel promoted Kuriger to lieutenant colonel.

Gwinn-Villaroel is heard in the audio telling Lauder that while she has heard his concerns, “we will have to revisit the situation in the future.”

Mayor Craig Greenberg announced Wednesday evening that Gwinn-Villaroel had been suspended following concerns about how she handled an allegation of sexual harassment at work. However, he did not name the officers involved or verify that the suspension was related to the May 22 meeting.

“I will not tolerate sexual misconduct within Louisville Metro Government, including within LMPD,” Greenberg said in announcing the suspension. “Rules and policies are in place for a reason and they must be followed.”

Smith said Lauder did not complain to Gwinn-Villaorel about the alleged sexual harassment before the recorded meeting, but “felt obligated to make her statement in front of her colleagues, because of the way she was put in the spotlight.” ’embarrassment by the boss’.

“Speaking or remaining silent were his choices,” Smith said. “The latter phenomenon is all too common among women who are harassed in the workplace.”

In his statement, Smith confirmed that Lauder recorded the meeting – “which is within his rights” – while participating remotely on the WebEx web platform.

This story will be updated.

Contact reporter Krista Johnson at [email protected].

This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: Shannon Lauder’s lawyer explains what led her to speak up at a meeting.