Garland: Louisville Police Engaged In Systemic Racism

The Washington Post reports:

The Louisville Metro Police Department engaged in systemic civil rights abuses and excessive force misconduct in the years leading up to the 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor, according to the findings of a federal investigation released Wednesday that is likely to force the department to undergo a series of sweeping changes.

The Justice Department’s probe found that officers committed unlawful and unconstitutional policing, including conducting searches based on invalid warrants, executing search warrants without knocking and announcing their presence, making unlawful stops and violating the rights of people engaging in protected free speech that is critical of the police department.

At a news conference in Louisville, Garland called the misconduct “heart-breaking” and said it “erodes the community trust that is needed for effective community policing.”

Read the full article.

Garland listing a number of violations but the report finds that officers conducted pre-textual traffic stops and some officers recorded videos of themselves throwing drinks at pedestrians. And evidence of officers calling black people “monkeys,” “animal” and “boy.”

— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) March 8, 2023