Breonna Taylor.Photo: Breonna Taylor/instagram
Nearly three years after the death ofBreonna Taylor, a Department of Justice investigation confirms police in Louisville discriminate against Black people and engage in other “practice(s) of conduct that deprive people of their rights.”
Based on police data, documents and thousands of hours of police body cam footage, the DOJ concluded the Louisville Metro Police Department, made up of 81 percent of White officers, uses excessive force, including unjustified neck restraints and the unreasonable use of police dogs and tasers, conducts searches based on invalid warrants, unlawfully executes search warrants without knocking and announcing and discriminates against Black people, among other concerning behaviors.
“LMPD cites people for minor offenses, like wide turns and broken taillights, while serious crimes like sexual assault and homicide go unsolved.”
“Some officers demonstrate disrespect for the people they are sworn to protect,” the report reads. “Some officers have videotaped themselves throwing drinks at pedestrians from their cars; insulted people with disabilities; and called Black people ‘monkeys,’ ‘animal,’ and ‘boy.'”
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The report alleges leadership and accountability failures are to blame for the unlawful officer conduct within the department.
Officers charged unannounced through the front door of Taylor’s home beforefiring off more than 20 shots. Taylor,a 26-year-old aspiring nurse, was fatally wounded, but clung to life for five minutes, before dying on her apartment floor in front of her boyfriend.
“Breonna Taylor was a symptom of problems that we have had for years,” the report reads, citing an LMPD leader.
During a Wednesday morning press conference acknowledging the DOJ findings, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said he and Louisville Metro Police interim Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel “are taking action to reform and improve how our police department operates.”
“The U.S. Department of Justice is demanding that we take action. The people of Louisville are demanding that we take action,” Greenberg said, according toNBC News.
In response to the scathing report, Kentucky state Rep. Keturah Herrontweeted, “The community of Louisville have been speaking out against policing in Louisville for decades. [The Justice Department] just solidified what many have dealt with including myself. The next leg of the race starts today. There are many questions and we the community have the answers.”
According to the report, since 2020, the LMPD has banned no-knock search warrants.
source: people.com
