Mini Substations Implementation Plan

DAVE BIGGERS FOR MAYOR

Mini Substations Implementation Plan

At Least One in Every ZIP Code: 4-Year Deployment Strategy

Budget Version: 3.1
Date: October 2025
Total Investment: about $1.27M per station annually | $80.01M at full capacity (Year 4), $64.26M of it the pay of officers LMPD already employs

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Goal: One mini police substation in EVERY Louisville zip code by end of Year 4

Strategy:

• Start in highest-crime areas (immediate impact)
• Expand systematically across all neighborhoods
• Complete citywide coverage by Year 4
• Community input at every phase

Funding:

• Year 1: $15.24M (12 substations @ about $1.27M each)
• Year 2: $30.48M (24 substations total)
• Year 3: $45.72M (36 substations total)
• Year 4: $80.01M (63 substations total)
• Funded by reallocation inside LMPD: fewer patrol posts and less overtime

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WHAT IS A MINI SUBSTATION?

Not a full police station. A neighborhood police post where 6 officers work rotating shifts, one or two on duty at a time, walking the beat and building community relationships.

Size: Approximately 5,000 square feet (smaller than a typical McDonald’s)

Staffing: 6 officers rotating shifts for 24/7 coverage

Purpose:

• Officers on foot patrols in defined neighborhood zone
• Community knows officers by name
• Officers know residents and businesses
• Prevention through presence and relationships
• Meeting space for community

Proven Results:

• 20-30% crime reduction average
• 35% increase in community trust
• Officers prefer this assignment (better job satisfaction)

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HOW SITES WERE CHOSEN

Jefferson County has 33 residential ZIP codes (ZIP codes with 1,500 or more residents). Each gets one mini substation, and 30 more go where violent crime and population are highest, for 63 in all. Year 1 goes to the 12 ZIP codes with the most violent crime. The locations below are ZIP codes; the exact buildings are chosen with neighbors. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZIP-code-to-county file; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (population); Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) reported crime, 2024 and 2025 averaged, from Louisville Metro open data. Violent crime means homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. LMPD data leaves out incidents handled by the separate police departments of cities such as St. Matthews, Jeffersontown and Shively, so ZIP codes that include those cities show lower counts than the true totals.

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YEAR-BY-YEAR DEPLOYMENT

YEAR 1: 12 SUBSTATIONS (Months 1-12)

Focus: The 12 ZIP codes with the most violent crime
Annual Cost: $15.24 million
Goal: Demonstrate immediate impact in most-needed areas

Substations 1-12 Locations:

#	ZIP	Area	LMPD division	Why
1	40203	Russell, Old Louisville & Shelby Park	1st / 4th	462 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), the county’s highest
2	40211	Chickasaw, Shawnee, Parkland & Park DuValle	2nd	456 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 2nd-highest in the county
3	40214	South End: Iroquois, Beechmont & Southland Park	3rd / 4th	364 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 3rd-highest in the county
4	40215	Jacobs, Taylor Berry, Beechmont & Hazelwood	4th	340 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 4th-highest in the county
5	40212	Portland & Shawnee	1st	337 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 5th-highest in the county
6	40210	California, Park Hill & Algonquin	2nd	333 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 6th-highest in the county
7	40219	Okolona	7th	281 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 7th-highest in the county
8	40202	Downtown & Phoenix Hill	1st	241 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 8th-highest in the county
9	40216	Shively	2nd / 3rd	225 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 9th-highest in the county
10	40272	Valley Station	3rd	191 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 10th-highest in the county
11	40208	Old Louisville (south), University & Algonquin	4th	184 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 11th-highest in the county
12	40218	Bashford Manor, Buechel & Watterson Park	6th	164 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 12th-highest in the county

Year 1 Timeline:

Months 1-3: Planning

• Community meetings in each zip code
• FOP consultation on logistics
• Site identification
• Architectural plans

Months 4-6: Build-Out

• Lease agreements finalized
• Renovation/build-out
• IT infrastructure installed
• Equipment procurement

Months 7-9: Staffing

• Officer recruitment/reassignment
• 40-hour community policing training
• Meet-and-greet events
• Advisory committees formed

Months 10-12: Launch

• Grand opening events
• 24/7 operations begin
• Data collection starts
• Quarterly public reports

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YEAR 2: 12 MORE SUBSTATIONS (24 Total)

Focus: Medium-high crime areas + coverage gaps
Annual Cost: $30.48M total (24 substations)
Goal: Expand footprint, prove scalability

Substations 13-24 Locations:

#	ZIP	Area	LMPD division	Why
13	40258	Pleasure Ridge Park	3rd	First site; 26,841 residents; 130 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
14	40213	Poplar Level, Audubon Park & Watterson Park	6th	First site; 16,054 residents; 130 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
15	40204	Cherokee Triangle, Tyler Park & Germantown	5th	First site; 14,034 residents; 92 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
16	40206	Crescent Hill, Butchertown & Clifton	5th	First site; 20,161 residents; 92 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
17	40220	Hikes Point & Bon Air	6th	First site; 35,078 residents; 90 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
18	40229	Okolona (south) & Hillview area	7th	First site; 29,074 residents; 88 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
19	40241	Northeast: Green Spring, Ten Broeck & Spring Valley	8th	First site; 30,021 residents; 70 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
20	40291	Fern Creek	7th	First site; 41,222 residents; 68 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
21	40118	Fairdale	3rd	First site; 10,697 residents; 58 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
22	40217	Schnitzelburg, St. Joseph & Audubon	4th	First site; 11,663 residents; 56 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
23	40228	Highview & Fern Creek (north)	7th	First site; 18,085 residents; 54 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
24	40205	Bowman, Belknap & Cherokee Seneca	5th	First site; 24,664 residents; 50 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)

Year 2 Milestones:

• 24 substations operational (38% of goal)
• Measurable crime reduction in Year 1 areas
• Community satisfaction surveys
• Officer morale surveys positive

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YEAR 3: 12 MORE SUBSTATIONS (36 Total)

Focus: Remaining medium/low crime areas, plus second sites in the three ZIP codes with the most violent crime
Annual Cost: $45.72M total (36 substations)
Goal: Reach critical mass, nearly complete

Substations 25-36 Locations:

#	ZIP	Area	LMPD division	Why
25	40299	Jeffersontown & Fern Creek (east)	6th / 7th	First site; 41,954 residents; 38 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
26	40245	Eastwood & Worthington Hills	8th	First site; 28,761 residents; 35 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
27	40223	Anchorage & Middletown	8th	First site; 22,798 residents; 25 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
28	40222	Hurstbourne, Lyndon & Graymoor-Devondale	8th	First site; 21,470 residents; 22 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
29	40207	St. Matthews, Indian Hills & Windy Hills	5th	First site; 28,903 residents; 18 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
30	40059	Prospect	8th	First site; 8,211 residents; 7 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
31	40243	Middletown & Douglass Hills	8th	First site; 12,002 residents; 4 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
32	40242	Lyndon, Plantation & Rolling Hills	8th	First site; 11,168 residents; 4 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
33	40023	Fisherville	8th	First site; 4,108 residents; 3 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25)
34	40214	South End: Iroquois, Beechmont & Southland Park	3rd / 4th	Site 2 of 3; 364 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 45,405 residents
35	40211	Chickasaw, Shawnee, Parkland & Park DuValle	2nd	Site 2 of 3; 456 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 20,407 residents
36	40203	Russell, Old Louisville & Shelby Park	1st / 4th	Site 2 of 3; 462 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 17,742 residents

Year 3 Achievement:

• 36 substations operational (57% of total)
• Citywide crime reduction trends visible
• Model for other cities
• Lessons learned inform final 27

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YEAR 4: FINAL SUBSTATIONS (Complete Coverage)

Focus: Complete coverage: second and third sites where violent crime and population are highest, optimized with data
Annual Cost: $80.01M (full coverage)
Goal: 100% citywide coverage achieved

Substations 37-63 Locations:

#	ZIP	Area	LMPD division	Why
37	40219	Okolona	7th	Site 2 of 3; 281 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 39,909 residents
38	40216	Shively	2nd / 3rd	Site 2 of 3; 225 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 44,047 residents
39	40215	Jacobs, Taylor Berry, Beechmont & Hazelwood	4th	Site 2 of 2; 340 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 20,532 residents
40	40212	Portland & Shawnee	1st	Site 2 of 2; 337 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 14,661 residents
41	40210	California, Park Hill & Algonquin	2nd	Site 2 of 2; 333 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 13,518 residents
42	40272	Valley Station	3rd	Site 2 of 2; 191 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 36,604 residents
43	40218	Bashford Manor, Buechel & Watterson Park	6th	Site 2 of 2; 164 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 33,736 residents
44	40291	Fern Creek	7th	Site 2 of 2; 68 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 41,222 residents
45	40214	South End: Iroquois, Beechmont & Southland Park	3rd / 4th	Site 3 of 3; 364 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 45,405 residents
46	40220	Hikes Point & Bon Air	6th	Site 2 of 2; 90 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 35,078 residents
47	40299	Jeffersontown & Fern Creek (east)	6th / 7th	Site 2 of 2; 38 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 41,954 residents
48	40258	Pleasure Ridge Park	3rd	Site 2 of 2; 130 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 26,841 residents
49	40211	Chickasaw, Shawnee, Parkland & Park DuValle	2nd	Site 3 of 3; 456 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 20,407 residents
50	40202	Downtown & Phoenix Hill	1st	Site 2 of 2; 241 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 7,261 residents
51	40203	Russell, Old Louisville & Shelby Park	1st / 4th	Site 3 of 3; 462 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 17,742 residents
52	40208	Old Louisville (south), University & Algonquin	4th	Site 2 of 2; 184 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 15,605 residents
53	40229	Okolona (south) & Hillview area	7th	Site 2 of 2; 88 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 29,074 residents
54	40219	Okolona	7th	Site 3 of 3; 281 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 39,909 residents
55	40241	Northeast: Green Spring, Ten Broeck & Spring Valley	8th	Site 2 of 2; 70 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 30,021 residents
56	40216	Shively	2nd / 3rd	Site 3 of 3; 225 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 44,047 residents
57	40213	Poplar Level, Audubon Park & Watterson Park	6th	Site 2 of 2; 130 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 16,054 residents
58	40206	Crescent Hill, Butchertown & Clifton	5th	Site 2 of 2; 92 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 20,161 residents
59	40245	Eastwood & Worthington Hills	8th	Site 2 of 2; 35 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 28,761 residents
60	40205	Bowman, Belknap & Cherokee Seneca	5th	Site 2 of 2; 50 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 24,664 residents
61	40207	St. Matthews, Indian Hills & Windy Hills	5th	Site 2 of 2; 18 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 28,903 residents
62	40204	Cherokee Triangle, Tyler Park & Germantown	5th	Site 2 of 2; 92 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 14,034 residents
63	40228	Highview & Fern Creek (north)	7th	Site 2 of 2; 54 violent incidents a year (LMPD 2024-25), 18,085 residents

Year 4 Completion:

• All 63 substations operational
• Comprehensive program evaluation
• 20-30% crime reduction goal assessment
• National model status

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SITE SELECTION CRITERIA

PRIMARY CRITERIA (Must Meet All)

✅ Geographic Coverage

• Within or next to the ZIP code it serves, on a bus line

✅ Community Accessibility

• Ground floor (ADA compliant)
• Parking for 6+ spaces (officers + visitors)
• Visible from main street
• Safe for 24/7 operations

✅ Cost-Effectiveness

• Lease: $10K-15K/month OR
• City-owned building available OR
• Purchase under $500K
• Renovation under $200K

✅ Safety & Security

• Adequate lighting
• Secure parking for patrol vehicles
• Electronic security possible
• Safe neighborhood

PREFERRED CHARACTERISTICS

Near community centers, libraries, or schools
Existing city-owned building
Mixed-use area (residential + commercial)
Strong community support
Partnership opportunities

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COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS

3 Months Before Opening:

• Town hall meeting in neighborhood
• Online survey
• Door-to-door outreach

2 Months Before:

• City presents 2-3 finalist sites
• Community feedback sessions
• FOP safety input

1 Month Before:

• Announce chosen site
• Address concerns
• Begin setup

Ongoing:

• Community Advisory Committee (5-7 residents + 2 police)
• Monthly meetings
• Input on programs and priorities

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SUBSTATION DESIGN

PHYSICAL SPACE

Size: Approximately 5,000 square feet

Layout:

• Reception/Community Space: 1,200 sq ft

– Welcoming area for walk-ins
– Seating for 12-15 people
– Community bulletin boards
– Coffee station

• Officer Work Area: 1,500 sq ft

– Desks for 6 officers
– Computers with LMPD network
– Secure equipment storage
– Report writing space

• Meeting Room: 800 sq ft

– Community meetings
– Private conversations
– Training space

• Break Room/Lockers: 600 sq ft

– Kitchenette
– Officer lockers
– Rest area

• Storage/Equipment: 500 sq ft

– Patrol bikes (4)
– Community policing equipment
– Emergency gear

• Restrooms: 400 sq ft

– ADA compliant
– Public + officer facilities

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Each Substation Receives:

Technology (~$40K one-time):

• Desktop computers (6): $9,000
• Mobile laptops (3): $4,500
• Printers/scanners: $3,000
• Security cameras (8): $8,000
• WiFi/network: $2,000
• Phone system: $2,000
• Body cameras: Assigned from LMPD pool
• Real-time data access: $5,000
• Misc tech: $6,500

Patrol Equipment (~$15K one-time):

• Patrol bicycles (4): $3,600
• Bike storage: $1,500
• High-vis vests (10): $500
• First aid kits (3): $300
• Flashlights/equipment: $600
• Communication radios: $6,000
• Misc patrol gear: $2,500

Office/Furniture (~$25K one-time):

• Desks, chairs, filing: $12,000
• Meeting room furniture: $5,000
• Reception furniture: $4,000
• Break room appliances: $2,000
• Misc furniture: $2,000

Signage (~$10K one-time):

• Exterior illuminated sign: $5,000
• Window graphics: $1,500
• Interior wayfinding: $1,000
• Community boards: $500
• Misc signage: $2,000

TOTAL ONE-TIME SETUP: ~$90K per substation

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OPERATING COSTS PER SUBSTATION

Annual Operating Budget: about $1,270,000

Personnel: about $1,020,000

• 6 officers rotating shifts (24/7 coverage)
• About $170,000 an officer a year before overtime: pay, pension, health care and payroll taxes, LMPD’s own cost from its 2026-27 budget
• Officers remain on LMPD payroll: this is pay LMPD already spends, moved with them from patrol
• This represents their full-time allocation

Facility Costs: $150,000

• Rent/lease: $120K-180K/year ($10K-15K/month)
• Utilities: $18,000/year
• Property insurance: $6,000/year
• Maintenance/repairs: $6,000/year

Operations: $50,000

• Office supplies: $5,000
• Technology maintenance: $8,000
• Bike maintenance: $2,000
• Community programs/events: $20,000
• Training/professional development: $10,000
• Miscellaneous: $5,000

Vehicles/Transport: $50,000

• 2 patrol cars per substation
• Fuel: $15,000/year
• Vehicle maintenance: $20,000/year
• Insurance: $15,000/year

TOTAL: about $1,270,000 per substation annually ($1,020,000 of it existing officer pay; $250,000 of facility, operations and vehicles)

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STAFFING MODEL

PERSONNEL PER SUBSTATION

Standard: 6 officers per substation (24/7 coverage)

Shift Coverage:

• Day Shift (7am-3pm): 1 officer
• Evening Shift (3pm-11pm): 2 officers on most days (peak crime hours)
• Night Shift (11pm-7am): 1 officer, backed by division patrol and the nearest substation
• Six officers keep one or two on duty at any hour once days off, leave and training are counted, so the second officer goes to the evening shift

Officer Assignments:

• 18-month rotations (prevents burnout)
• Experience different neighborhoods
• Career development opportunity

OFFICER SELECTION

Criteria:

• Minimum 2 years patrol experience
• Good community relations record
• No sustained complaints for excessive force
• Volunteer preferred
• Bilingual bonus (Spanish, Arabic, etc.)

Training (40 hours before assignment):

• Community policing philosophy (8 hrs)
• De-escalation techniques (8 hrs)
• Cultural competency (4 hrs)
• Mental health first aid (4 hrs)
• Conflict resolution (4 hrs)
• Youth engagement (4 hrs)
• Trauma-informed policing (4 hrs)
• Community resource navigation (4 hrs)

Ongoing:

• Monthly roundtables
• Quarterly advanced training
• Annual recertification

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DAILY OPERATIONS

TYPICAL DAY AT A SUBSTATION

7:00 AM – Day Shift Begins

• Officers arrive, review overnight reports
• Brief from night shift
• Plan day’s patrol route

7:30 AM – Morning Patrol

• Officers on foot/bike patrol
• Wave to residents leaving for work
• Check in with local businesses
• School zone presence

10:00 AM – Community Engagement

• Coffee with seniors at community center
• Youth program coordination
• Problem-solving with business owners

12:00 PM – Lunch

• Eat at local restaurant (visibility)
• Continue informal community contact

2:00 PM – Shift Change Prep

• Document day’s activities
• Brief evening shift
• Handoff any ongoing situations

3:00 PM – Evening Shift Begins

• Peak crime hours (3-7pm)
• After-school presence
• Youth engagement
• Patrol hotspots

6:00 PM – Evening Activities

• Basketball with kids
• Community meeting attendance
• Business district foot patrol

10:00 PM – Shift Change

• Brief night shift
• Hand off any concerns

11:00 PM – Night Shift

• Foot/car patrols
• Bar/restaurant closing presence
• Respond to calls in coverage area
• Support other substations as needed

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

EACH SUBSTATION OFFERS:

Monthly Programs:

• Community Coffee (1st Saturday, 9am)
• Youth Basketball League
• Senior Safety Walks
• Business Owner Forums
• Neighborhood Watch Coordination

Quarterly Events:

• Safety Fairs
• Kids’ Police Academy Days
• Community BBQs
• Crime Prevention Workshops

Ongoing:

• Safe walk-home program
• Business security assessments
• Home safety checks (seniors)
• School crossing assistance

Annual:

• National Night Out host site
• Back-to-School events
• Holiday toy drives
• Community appreciation events

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METRICS & EVALUATION

WHAT WE MEASURE

Crime Statistics:

• Violent crime rates (homicide, assault, robbery)
• Property crime rates (burglary, theft, vandalism)
• Response times to calls
• Arrest rates vs. diversion rates

Community Outcomes:

• Community satisfaction surveys (quarterly)
• Trust in police scores
• Meeting attendance rates
• Program participation numbers

Officer Outcomes:

• Job satisfaction surveys
• Retention rates in community policing
• Complaint rates
• Use-of-force incidents

Economic Indicators:

• Business activity in substation areas
• Property values
• New business openings
• Community investment

REPORTING

Monthly:

• Internal metrics reviewed
• Command staff briefings
• Course corrections as needed

Quarterly:

• Public reports released
• Community presentations
• Metro Council briefings

Annually:

• Comprehensive evaluation
• Academic partnership analysis
• National comparison
• Public hearing on results

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EXPECTED OUTCOMES

YEAR 1 (12 Substations)

• 15-20% crime reduction in substation areas
• 25% increase in community trust (surveys)
• 300+ community events held
• 10,000+ positive police-community contacts

YEAR 2 (24 Substations)

• 20-25% crime reduction in coverage areas
• 30% increase in community trust
• National attention/media coverage
• Model for other cities

YEAR 3 (36 Substations)

• 25-30% crime reduction citywide
• 35% increase in community trust
• Measurable economic development impact
• Officer recruitment improves

YEAR 4 (63 substations – Complete)

• 20-30% crime reduction goal achieved
• Dramatic improvement in police-community relations
• Louisville model adopted by other cities
• Sustainable, permanent program

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BUDGET SUMMARY

4-YEAR INVESTMENT

Year 1: $15.24M (12 substations)
Year 2: $30.48M (24 substations total)
Year 3: $45.72M (36 substations total)
Year 4: $80.01M (63 substations total)

Total 4-Year Investment: $171.45M cumulative
Ongoing Annual Cost (Year 4+): $80.01M

FUNDING SOURCE

Reallocated inside the LMPD budget:

• Officers move from patrol to the substations
• Half of unscheduled overtime goes
• $20.7M of patrol posts are left unfilled as officers leave
• Together that frees $96.01M a year: $80.01M pays for all 63 substations at full build ($64.26M of it is the pay of the 378 officers who move), $8M for co-responders, and $8M moves to the independent Inspector General for police oversight

Police stay flat at the $268,393,800 Metro Council adopted — just allocated differently. The $8M police-oversight programme moves to the independent Inspector General, so LMPD’s own line reads $260,393,800.

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RISK MITIGATION

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES

Challenge: Community skepticism about police presence
Mitigation: Early, frequent community input; advisory committees; officer selection criteria

Challenge: Officer resistance to foot patrol
Mitigation: Volunteer preference; training; career path incentives; positive culture building

Challenge: Finding suitable real estate
Mitigation: Flexible site criteria; city-owned building use; partnerships with property owners

Challenge: Sustaining funding over 4 years
Mitigation: Budget locked in advance; phased so costs ramp up gradually; early wins build support

Challenge: Measuring success accurately
Mitigation: Clear metrics from Day 1; academic partnership; transparent reporting

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UNION PARTNERSHIP

FOP ENGAGEMENT

Year 1 Planning:

• FOP representatives on site selection committees
• Officer safety paramount in design
• Training developed with FOP input
• Voluntary assignment preferred

Contract Considerations:

• Community policing pay differential ($2-5K/year)
• Career advancement opportunities
• Equipment and safety guarantees
• Reasonable assignment lengths (18 months)

Ongoing Collaboration:

• Quarterly FOP leadership meetings
• Officer feedback incorporated
• Issues addressed promptly
• Celebrate successes together

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COMPARISON WITH OTHER CITIES

CITIES USING THIS MODEL

Chicago:

• 280+ neighborhood beat officers
• 20-30% crime reduction in areas with consistent presence
• High community satisfaction

New York City:

• Neighborhood Policing program
• 77 precincts with community officers
• Dramatic crime reduction since implementation

Los Angeles:

• Senior Lead Officer program
• Officers assigned to specific areas
• Long-term relationships with communities

Seattle:

• Community Police Team Officers
• Micro-community policing stations
• Positive outcomes documented

Baltimore:

• Neighborhood policing rollout
• Mixed results, but concept sound
• Louisville can learn from their challenges

Boston:

• Youth violence reduction model
• 63% fewer young homicide victims (ages 24 and under) per month after Operation Ceasefire began in 1996 (National Institute of Justice, 2001)
• Strong community partnerships

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IMPLEMENTATION TEAM

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE

Office of Community Policing (New):

• Director: Reports to Police Chief
• Site Selection Manager
• Community Engagement Coordinator (3)
• Training Coordinator
• Data/Evaluation Analyst

LMPD Partnership:

• Assigned LMPD Deputy Chief
• District Commanders (coordinate with substations)
• Officer recruitment/assignment
• Training delivery

Mayor’s Office:

• Overall oversight
• Community communication
• Budget management
• Problem-solving support

Community Advisory Board:

• 15 residents (3 from each district)
• Monthly meetings
• Input on policies and locations
• Accountability mechanism

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SUCCESS STORIES FROM OTHER CITIES

WHAT TO EXPECT

Chicago – Beat 2524 (Englewood):

• Substation opened 2018
• Year 1: 22% reduction in violent crime
• Year 2: 35% reduction
• Community trust scores doubled
• Business investment increased

Boston – Dorchester Neighborhood:

• Community policing since 1996
• 63% fewer young homicide victims (ages 24 and under) per month, citywide, after Operation Ceasefire began in 1996 (National Institute of Justice, 2001)
• Sustainable long-term (25+ years)
• National model

Seattle – South Park:

• Micro-station approach
• Officers integrated into community
• Crime reduced, trust increased
• Economic development followed

Louisville can expect similar results with committed implementation.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why about $1.27M per station? That seems expensive.
A: About $1.02M of it is the pay of 6 officers LMPD already employs (24/7 coverage), at LMPD’s own cost of about $170,000 an officer a year before overtime. That money is already in LMPD’s budget and moves with them from patrol. The other $250,000 is rent, utilities, vehicles, equipment and community programs. Cheaper estimates fail because they understaff or cut corners.

Q: Can’t officers just patrol from their cars?
A: They can, but it doesn’t work as well. Foot patrols create relationships. Community policing requires visibility and accessibility. 50+ cities prove this approach works.

Q: What if a neighborhood doesn’t want a substation?
A: Community input is built into site selection. If a specific location has opposition, we work with the community to find an alternative. But resistance is rare when people understand the benefits.

Q: Will this take officers away from emergency response?
A: It changes where they start from. The 378 substation officers come out of patrol, so fewer patrol cars cruise the city. In their place, every ZIP code has officers based in it who answer calls in their own zone, and dispatch still sends the nearest unit to an emergency. Some patrol posts also stay empty as officers leave. That is the trade: fewer cars driving through, officers based in and known to the neighborhood.

Q: What about low-crime areas?
A: They get substations too (Years 3-4). Prevention keeps crime low. Community policing benefits all neighborhoods.

Q: Is this permanent?
A: Yes. This is a fundamental shift in how LMPD operates, not a pilot program. Once built, substations are part of the permanent infrastructure.

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CONCLUSION

63 mini police substations represent a fundamental transformation in how Louisville does public safety.

Not radical. Proven in 50+ cities.

Not experimental. Based on 30+ years of research.

Not expensive. Same police budget, allocated smarter.

This is how we achieve 20-30% crime reduction over 4 years.

This is how we rebuild trust between police and community.

This is how we make every Louisville neighborhood safer.

Let’s get to work.

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For Implementation Questions:
Email: dave@rundaverun.org
Website: rundaverun.org/mini-substations

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MINI SUBSTATIONS IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
Budget Version 3.1 | Updated October 2025

Detailed. Realistic. Achievable. Evidence-Based.