Flipping through the pages of Capt. Steve Thompson's 43 legal pads of notes tells the story of
almost four decades as a Louisville police officer.
Those pages, filled with handwritten details
of crimes, residences and aliases, illustrate
Thompson's meticulous attention to detail.
Over the years, Thompson has scrutinized arrest reports and scoured elsewhere for information that fills a memory that has
become legendary in the Louisville Metro
Police Department.
At the end of this month, the notes and
memory will retire along with Thompson.
But Thompson has been handing out his cell
phone number, telling officers that they can
call him at any time if he can be of help.
During his time as an officer, first with the former city department, Thompson, 60, has worked in
many police units. He's commanded patrol districts and overseen criminal investigations in
narcotics and sex crimes.
"He's made an impact on crime," said Lt. Col. Troy Riggs, an assistant chief. "He has more
knowledge of criminal activity in Louisville than probably anybody on the police department. And
that will be missed."
Thompson said he isn't satisfied with what he has done, but "I feel comfortable that I tried."
He said he can't pick one professional moment of which he is most proud, but some stand out.
In 1995, the Courier-Journal published an article detailing Thompson's reputation for commanding
the district with the highest crime clearance rates. Research done at that time by the newspaper
and police showed that officers under Thompson's command consistently solved more crimes than
those in any other city district.
He gained the nickname "TV Stevie" because of his frequent appearances on local newscasts to provide information about crimes. He said he's always believed that the media can be an effective crime-fighting tool.Thompson also gained media attention after horse owner Mike Pegram named one after Thompson. Captain Steve, who ran in the 2000 Kentucky Derby, went on to win the $6 million Dubai World Cup in 2001.
On the personal side, Thompson said that his proudest moments have included seeing two of his sons make it into the department and then into leadership positions. He has six children in all, including two stepchildren. He's been married since 1996 to his wife, Susie.Thompson, who was born in Louisville, started the family tradition of policing, having chosen not to follow his father into the grocery business. His father owned several stores in Louisville.
"I probably threw away a fortune to become a policeman," Thompson said.
Thompson gets teary when he thinks about hanging up his uniform. He still hasn't decided what the next step for him will be, though he knows it will involve spending some extra time with his six grandchildren.
"I can't just go from 100 to zero," he said. "I've got to do something to help this community."