National Chaplain

On January 2, 2023, Mayor Craig Greenberg appointed Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel to serve as the Interim Chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD). After conducting a comprehensive nationwide search, the Mayor selected Gwinn-Villaroel to become Louisville’s next permanent police chief on July 20, 2023. During her tenure as Interim Chief, Gwinn-Villaroel created new initiatives including, but not limited to the following: continuous work of implementing police reforms, establishing the Non-Fatal Shooting Squad, implementing the Stop-the-Violence Community Outreach Program, and the expansion of the Louisville Metro  Police Activities League.

Prior to serving as Interim Chief, Gwinn-Villaroel was appointed as LMPD’s Deputy Chief in 2021 and was second in command for the police department. She began her law enforcement career with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) in 1997, where she served until joining the LMPD. As an APD officer, Gwinn-Villaroel served as a patrol officer, a field investigation officer, and worked in the following units as a detective: Vice, Narcotics, Gangs and Guns, and Domestic Violence. Upon promotion to Sergeant, she had the opportunity to work in Patrol, the Police Training Academy, and the Personnel/Human Resources Section.

During her time with APD, Gwinn-Villaroel achieved the rank of Sergeant in 2010. In 2017, she was promoted to Lieutenant, and held positions as a watch commander and commander of the Crime Tactical Analysis Unit. After two years as a lieutenant, she was promoted to the rank of Captain and served as the assistant commander of the Major Crimes Division—overseeing the following units: Homicide, Robbery, Gun Assault, Special Victims, and the Metro Atlanta Crimes Stoppers Unit.

In 2020, she was promoted to the rank of Major and assigned to the Police Training Academy. During her time as the major of the training academy, Gwinn-Villaroel successfully implemented new de-escalation training for new police recruits and implemented the training into the required annual in-service training for veteran officers. She also ensured the development of the curriculum for duty-to-intercede training, emphasizing de-escalation and officer accountability, along with re- implementing crisis intervention training for police recruits.

Chief Gwinn-Villaroel holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Public Safety Administration. She is also affiliated with numerous professional organizations, including the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), Kentucky Women Law Enforcement Network (KWLEN), Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police (KACP), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

As an ordained pastor, Chief Gwinn-Villaroel is passionate about community engagement and being a servant leader in her capacity as a law enforcement officer, as well as an executive police manager. She is a wife, mother and Founder/Senior Pastor of Unstoppable Praise Ministries. Unequivocally, Chief Gwinn-Villaroel is committed to professional excellence, accountability, and compassion, as exemplified by her professional success. Upon her swearing-in, Gwinn-Villaroel will become the first female African-American permanent police chief in Louisville’s and the state of Kentucky’s history.