The police union that represents Louisville Metro Police Officers will endorse Republican Hal Heiner and Democrat Jim King in the respective primaries, sources tell WHAS11 News. The official announcement from the Fraternal Order of Police River City Lodge 614 could come as early as Wednesday.
The union has clashed often with the Abramson administration, most recently in a legal fight over whether the department could remove the take-home car benefit for police officers. The Kentucky Labor Cabinet ruled that the city could not assess a fee to the officers who used the take home cars, without union approval. Heiner called for Abramson to negotiate a refund of those fees to the officers.
King has called for the restoration of the Street Crimes Unit and "Gang Squad" of LMPD, as well as increasing funding to Metro Narcotics. Under Chief Robert White, many of the duties of such specialized units have been transferred to the divisions, under the theory that the officers who are working in particular areas will have the best handle on what is happening there.
The FOP nod is a high-profile stamp of approval in the always relevant issue of public safety and crime.
