Years of scandals, investigations, and lawsuits bruise police morale in Louisville 

Two former cops in Louisville, Ky., are in jail. The mentorship program they used to sexually pursue minors is now not working. Months after their responsible pleas, although, the town‡s residents nonetheless look ahead to an sincere accounting of the division‡s investigation into the officers‡ crimes.

The Louisville Metro Police Division initially denied a request for information by the Courier-Journal. Now, the division could also be mandated to show over hundreds of paperwork associated to the inner investigation after the state‡s legal professional basic dominated that their denial violated state regulation.

The information pertain to 2 former officers, Kenneth Betts and Brandon Wooden, who stand accused of utilizing their positions as mentors within the division‡s Youth Explorer program to sexually pursue, exploit and abuse teenage individuals.

The scandal, which Fox Information detailed at size in a not too long ago launched podcast, rocked the Derby Metropolis. The division‡s dealing with of the inner investigation into the officers‡ actions was scrutinized by native lawmakers and media. And in response to former officers we spoke with, the scandal contributed to a decline of morale and problem in holding good officers from leaving the division.

Betts, 35, was sentenced to 16 years in federal jail on expenses of enticement of a minor and baby pornography, each of which concerned youngsters he had been entrusted to mentor. Wooden, 33, is serving 5 years for sexually abusing a teen he met in this system. Each are central to the scandal that grew to be about rather more than simply two officers.

Former Louisville Metro Police Officer Kenneth Betts in a mugshot {photograph}. Betts is serving 16 years for intercourse crimes in opposition to minors.

In unique interviews with Fox Information, and in response to official court docket paperwork obtained in our investigation, Betts is accused of exchanging specific pictures, making an attempt to coerce intercourse, and even raping minors within the Youth Explorer program. He resigned from the division in 2014, and not too long ago pleaded responsible to sex-abuse expenses in state and federal courts.

Neither Betts, Wooden, nor their legal professionals provided remark or made themselves out there for interviews with Fox Information, regardless of a number of makes an attempt to succeed in them. One in all their victims, nonetheless, was keen to share their story.

Former Louisville Metro Police Officer Brandon Wooden in a mug shot. Wooden is serving 5 years for making an attempt to entice a minor into intercourse.

“C.F.” is certainly one of seven former Explorer cadets to return ahead in civil lawsuits in opposition to various present and former officers, the LMPD, and native and nationwide organizations liable for the native Youth Explorer chapter.

C.F.'s story illustrates a sample of grooming, coercion and sexual assault by Betts, in addition to a scarcity of accountability, and presumably even a coordinated cover-up, by police management.

“It was past, like, pleasant conversations,” C.F. mentioned of his relationship with Betts. “He would ask for nude footage. Ask for favors. Stuff like that. Ask if I’d wish to go work particulars or do ride-alongs with him.”

Claims of sexually suggestive textual content messages and inappropriate actions throughout ride-alongs, excursions throughout which cadets would be a part of officers on patrol of their automobiles, are recurring themes in Louisville and related Explorer scandals throughout the nation.

When C.F. and “N.C.” – one other former Explorer cadet who additionally filed swimsuit – had been between the ages of 15 and 17, C.F. mentioned Betts escalated his pursuit of the kids.

C.F. mentioned one night time, Betts picked up him and N.C. in his patrol automobile below the guise that the Explorers had been merely serving to him transfer paperwork from the workplace to his residence. After they accomplished their process, he provided the minors alcohol and commenced to “come on to” them in undesirable methods.

“I had about two or three [drinks], and I had a buzz. And that’s when he pulled us again into his room, began taking our garments off and form of pushed us onto the mattress."

— C.F., plaintiff

C.F. mentioned he felt coerced and pressured by the facility Betts had over his profession ambitions and alternatives inside the program, and so was reluctant to report the incident.

“I had about two or three [drinks], and I had a buzz. And that‡s when he pulled us again into his room, began taking our garments off and form of pushed us onto the mattress,” C.F. mentioned. “And from there, it led on to him giving us oral intercourse and us giving him oral intercourse. And it led to him – penetrating me and N.C.”

About an hour after the alleged rape, C.F. mentioned Betts took the Explorers residence and left them alone for a time. Nonetheless, C.F. mentioned the officer‡s sexual pursuit adopted the teenager into maturity.

Within the lawsuits, a number of different LMPD officers are accused of performing negligently when knowledgeable of sexual impropriety by officers like Betts and Wooden within the Youth Explorer program.

Retired Maj. Curtis Flaherty has been accused of turning a blind eye to sexual misconduct in this system. He’s named in every of the seven lawsuits explicitly.

“This was basically [Flaherty‡s] child,” Tad Thomas, the lead legal professional in every of the civil lawsuits, mentioned. “What it seems like, based mostly on the individuals we‡ve talked to and what I feel we will put collectively in discovery, is that Mr. Flaherty knew what Betts and Wooden had been doing.”

Flaherty began the Youth Explorer program in Louisville, and mentored Betts when he was a cadet. Thomas mentioned the trio of Flaherty, Betts and Wooden perpetuated a cycle of mock accountability that allowed the abuse to flourish for years.

“What it seems like, based mostly on the individuals we’ve talked to and what I feel we will put collectively in discovery, is that Mr. Flaherty knew what Betts and Wooden had been doing.”

— Tad Thomas, plaintiff’s legal professional

In keeping with Thomas, Betts‡ victims would report their abuse to Wooden, who would take their considerations to Flaherty, the place they might be useless on arrival. The identical factor allegedly occurred in reverse, with Wooden‡s victims going to Betts.

Lee Sitlinger, Flaherty‡s legal professional, mentioned he expects the court docket to drop the allegations of negligence within the civil lawsuits.

“He‡s cooperated with each investigation. He‡s given statements to anybody investigating the case,” Sitlinger mentioned. “… He ran a really secure program.”

Flaherty held twin roles inside the division. He ran the Explorer program whereas overseeing LMPD‡s Public Integrity Unit – the division liable for inside investigations. Louisville Metro Council President David James, himself a former police officer, mentioned Flaherty‡s positions within the division had been a transparent battle of curiosity.

“So, the case went below investigation,” James mentioned. “In the course of the investigation, the chief allowed officer Betts to resign from the police division. And as soon as that resignation happened, he closed the investigation.”

“There was by no means any work executed to search out out if there have been every other victims inside the Explorer program."

— David James, Louisville Metro Council President

Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad closed the case by exception, which implies the division declined to pursue expenses after the officer resigned. Betts resigned in 2014 with none sexual misconduct marks on his document, and went on to work as a code enforcement officer at a close-by police division from 2015 to 2017.

A spokesperson for Chief Conrad declined to remark, citing ongoing investigations and pending litigation.

“There was by no means any work executed to search out out if there have been every other victims inside the Explorer program,” James mentioned.

James believes Betts‡ resignation in 2014 was the catalyst for the scandal and cover-up. When Chief Conrad allowed Betts to depart and not using a thorough investigation, he didn’t act responsibly on the victims‡ behalf, James mentioned.

James mentioned nothing ready him for what investigators discovered once they searched Wooden‡s residence in 2016.

“I used to be informed that they discovered videotape of Officer Betts and Officer Wooden molesting one of many Explorers,” James mentioned. “I used to be form of in shock by that.”

The findings are corroborated in a civil lawsuit filed in opposition to the officers, nonetheless the FBI and a personal investigator employed by the Louisville Metro Authorities haven‡t confirmed the existence of the video.

REPORT: LOUISVILLE ERRED IN SEX ABUSE CASE

The primary lawsuit pushed James to take his considerations to metropolis management, imploring Deputy Mayor Ellen Hesen to contact outdoors regulation enforcement to analyze the allegations.

“I mentioned that I actually assume that we want an out of doors regulation enforcement company to return in and examine this, as a result of the chief has some publicity on this,” James mentioned. “And he can‡t examine himself, after which proclaim himself to haven’t executed something.”

James mentioned metropolis corridor was hesitant to contact the FBI or state police, as a substitute opting to rent Kerry Harvey, a former U.S. District Legal professional to steer the investigation.

Initially employed for $50,000, the prices of Harvey‡s investigation rose to $140,000. After months of delay, the report was launched in June 2018. James wasn‡t impressed, calling the report “not so thorough” in its findings. Others within the metropolis took challenge with the investigation as effectively, particularly since Harvey himself would later admit he wasn‡t allowed to interview lots of the individuals central to the case, together with Wooden, Betts, present LMPD officers and Public Integrity Unit staffers.

"Hiding paperwork from the general public shouldn’t be going to permit our metropolis to have the ability to heal from what did or did not occur. And it will not permit the general public to know or perceive what occurred."

— David James, Louisville Metro Council President

Harvey‡s report discovered no proof of wrongdoing by the mayor or police management. The mayor‡s workplace mentioned in a press release that Harvey‡s hiring confirmed that they acted responsibly in investigating the allegations.

The Derby Metropolis public have recovered a semblance of justice: two officers will sit in jail for years for his or her intercourse crimes in opposition to teen mentees. Nonetheless, with civil litigation pending and the LMPD making an attempt to stonewall requests for transparency, many questions stay, not the least of which is what Chief Conrad will do to uplift morale.

"[It's] one other instance of them pretending that this didn't occur when, the truth is, it did," James mentioned. "Hiding paperwork from the general public shouldn’t be going to permit our metropolis to have the ability to heal from what did or didn't occur. And it received't permit the general public to know or perceive what occurred."

Take heed to "Derby Metropolis Betrayal," a four-part investigation into the Youth Explorer intercourse scandal in Louisville, right here.

Should you or a cherished one has tales of sexual abuse in any Youth Explorers program throughout the nation, please attain out Andrew Keiper by e-mail at andrew.keiper@foxnews.com.