Metro Police Adding Patrols in Old Louisville

The 4^th division of the Louisville Metro Police Department is increasing its patrols in the Old Louisville neighborhood to fight growing crime problems. Officers will be on bicycles or ATVs to make themselves more visible and more accessible to the community.“We’ve had a lot of thefts from autos in the past 45 days" says Lieutenant Kit Steimle, " and 90 percent of them have been students from the University so we are trying to connect to them with the crime prevention tips along with the Old Louisville neighborhood association and the University.”Lieutenant Steimle says there will be an emphasis on the education aspect of the initiative, aimed at UofL students living in the neighborhood. 6th District Councilman David James has directed some of his discretionary funds to the LMPD to pay officers overtime to patrol the neighborhood.“The officers are going to be focusing on crime control and catching the suspects that are responsible for this," says Major Kim Kraeszig, "but they’re also going to be educating and just reminding people on crime prevention.”The initiative will begin on Monday, March 14, and continue for the next fourteen days. Major Kraeszig said she will monitor the program and implement any successes in the future.