Overview
- Local records from a Sigma Squared study made public this week show Black drivers were searched 133% more often than white drivers in 2025 and 66% more often after controlling for age, location and stop reasons.
- The report found discretionary searches of Black drivers returned illegal items at an 11% lower rate than comparable searches of white drivers, a pattern the inspector general called evidence of inefficient and potentially biased decisions.
- The Louisville Metro Office of Inspector General issued a Monday demand that LMPD release the complete report, methodology and supporting data, identify officers and units with the largest disparities, and conduct documented supervisory reviews.
- LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey acknowledged the disparities and said the department will publish the Sigma Squared data with contextual information about crime patterns while it reviews the OIG’s specific requests.
- The findings join prior reviews, including a 2023 DOJ determination of a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination and decade-long trends showing the Black share of traffic stops rose from about 28% in 2014 to 48% in 2025, raising pressure for measurable reforms and public reporting.