A former Louisville Metro Police deputy chief has been appointed to serve as the chief of the United States Capitol Police, according to a June 4 news release.
Michael Sullivan spent more than two decades as an officer in Louisville, starting his policing career with the Louisville Division of Police in 1995 and continuing after the county-city merger launched LMPD, according to the news release. Sullivan served as deputy chief of LMPD from 2016-19 before going to the Baltimore Police Department to serve as deputy commissioner from 2019-22.
His next career move took him to the Phoenix Police Department, where he served as interim chief from 2022-25.
While in Phoenix, he led the department through a Department of Justice “pattern or practice” investigation that found the department routinely violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law, according to a DOJ news release. The DOJ closed that investigation and rescinded its findings in May in a sweeping move that ended similar investigations and court-enforced police reform efforts in other cities, including Louisville.
Amid the DOJ investigation, Sullivan ensured “necessary reforms were made in a meaningful and sustainable manner” and revised the department’s use-of-force policies, according to the U.S. Capitol Police news release.
Michael Sullivan has been named chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. He formerly served as deputy chief for Louisville Metro Police and interim chief for the Phoenix Police Department.
Sullivan graduated from the University of Louisville and holds a bachelor’s degree in police administration and a master’s degree in the administration of justice.
He will be sworn into his new role June 30.
The U.S. Capitol Police force is responsible for protecting Congressional buildings, members of Congress and Capitol Hill visitors.
“The Board is confident in Chief Sullivan’s experience, leadership, and approach in protecting the Congress as an institution to ensure the legislative process is unimpeded,” the news release states.
Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at [email protected] or @bkillian72 on X.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Ex-LMPD officer Michael Sullivan named US Capitol Police chief
Read the full article here
