Grand Jury Indicts Officers In Police Abuse Case

A grand jury has indicted one former and one current Louisville Metro Police officer, charging them with sex-related offenses involving participants in the LMPD’s Youth Explorer program.
Former officer Kenneth Betts is charged with two counts of sodomy that allegedly occurred in 2007 and 2012 and involved two victims under 18.

Officer Brandon Wood faces seven counts of first degree sexual abuse that allegedly took place between October of 2011 and March of 2012 and involved one victim.

Both men are scheduled to make court appearances on Monday. In a statement posted on Facebook Wednesday afternoon, Police Chief Steve Conrad said he can’t discuss specifics of the case because of the pending litigation, but he has begun the process of firing Officer Wood.

Conrad also clarified how the case would be handled going forward.
"To clarify, the Public Integrity Unit conducts criminal investigations which focus on violations of criminal law. The Professional Standards Unit conducts administrative investigations which are focused on specific violations of department rules, policies, and procedures. Administrative investigations are limited in scope, by law, to possible violations related to the incident being investigated. Should the PSU investigator become aware of additional administrative violation during the course of the investigation, this violation will be addressed. The investigator may not however use the investigation as an opportunity to search for unrelated policy violations. Unlike criminal investigations, once an employee leaves the department, the employee is no longer subject to administrative discipline; therefore, the administrative investigation will end. Criminal Investigations, alternatively, can continue regardless of employment status. Because the criminal investigation into this matter is still ongoing and due to the pending litigation, I can say nothing further at this time.”
Betts and Wood are already accused in a lawsuit of raping a teenage boy who was participating in the Explorer program, which helps young people considering a career in law enforcement.  The suit also alleges that officials attempted to cover up the crimes.

Mayor Greg Fischer has since suspended the program and ordered an independent investigation.