Louisville police discriminate against Blacks: US Justice Department

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, United States (AA) - The US Justice Department (DOJ) announced Wednesday that the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) in the state of Kentucky routinely discriminates against Blacks, including with the use of excessive force and conducting illegal searches.

"This unacceptable and unconstitutional conduct erodes the community trust necessary for effective policing," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "It is also an affront to the vast majority of officers who put their lives on the line to serve Louisville with honor. And it is an affront to the people of Louisville who deserve better."

The DOJ findings come in the wake of an investigation into the killing of Breonna Taylor by LMPD officers March 13, 2020. Taylor was shot eight times as she was sleeping in her apartment during a police drug raid, in which her boyfriend fired a warning shot, claiming he did not hear police knock.

Three officers -- Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly -- were acquitted in Taylor's death and Hankison was fired for blindly firing into the apartment.

Taylor’s family received a $12 million wrongful death settlement even though the city did not make an admission of wrongdoing.

The Justice Department's probe found a wide-ranging pattern of misconduct by police including using unjustified neck restraints, using police dogs and tasers against Blacks, conducting searches based on invalid warrants and executing search warrants without knocking and announcing.

The investigation also revealed that LMPD made unlawful stops, detainments and arrests of Blacks during traffic and pedestrian stops and unlawfully discriminated against Black people in its enforcement activities, including referring to them as "monkeys."

"This conduct is unacceptable. It is heart-breaking," Garland said at a news conference. "It erodes the community trust necessary for effective policing."

Garland said the DOJ had reached a "consent decree" with Louisville police which will require the use of an independent monitor to oversee policing reforms.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg said at a news conference that the investigation brought back "painful memories" and that he is committed to making the necessary changes to the police force.

"Our city has wounds that have not yet healed and that's why this report ... is so important and so necessary," said Greenburg.