‘An urgent opportunity.’ KY politicians, activists react to DOJ’s investigation into LMPD

Kentucky politicians and activists are responding to the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation, finding probable cause that the Louisville Metro Police Department has violated federal laws and the Constitution.

The investigation was launched in April 2021, more than a year after Louisville police shot and killed Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman and emergency room technician. The DOJ’s findings were released Wednesday, when officials said they found evidence of illegal and racially biased police practices within the department.

During a press conference Wednesday in Louisville, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the investigation revealed that LMPD and Louisville Metro Government violated the First and Fourth Amendments, the Civil Rights act of 1964, the Safe Streets Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Following the findings of the investigation, LMPD and the DOJ are entering into a legally binding consent decree to work toward resolving the issues with in the department.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, who is only months into his first term in office, said there are “infuriating examples of abuse cited in this report – particularly cases against Black and brown members of our community, and women and children, abuses by the same people who were supposed to protect them.”

He called the report’s findings “unacceptable,” “inexcusable” and a “betrayal of the public’s trust.”

Louisville police violated constitutional rights, DOJ finds. Consent decree coming

Cameron, Beshear release statements on investigation

Kentucky Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron took to social media to share a statement which largely supported law enforcement.

Cameron handled a grand jury investigation into Taylor’s death. The state-level investigation resulted in charges for one officer, Hankison, but he was ultimately found not guilty on wanton endangerment charges.

Cameron was accused of misrepresenting the findings of the grand jury assembled to weigh whether any charges should be filed against the Louisville police officers involved in Taylor’s death. Three unnamed grand jurors and “other concerned citizens” filed an impeachment petition against Cameron in January 2021.

“The vast majority of Kentucky’s law enforcement community protects & serves the Commonwealth with dignity & honor, & I am thankful to these brave men & women who put their lives on the line day in & day out to keep our communities safe,” Cameron tweeted Wednesday. “We hope that the U.S. Department of Justice’s work with Louisville Metro and city officials will help address lingering concerns & better allow law enforcement to keep people safe.”

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear tweeted that the DOJ’s findings were “concerning.”

“My hope is that everyone in Louisville will come together and see the findings of this report as an urgent opportunity to take intentional steps for positive, lasting change,” he wrote. “I believe the DOJ findings can help achieve the goal of ensuring public safety and protecting everyone’s rights.”

Louisville activism group: ‘Systemic changes’ are still needed

The 490 Project, a Louisville-based activism group, said it was not surprised by the report’s findings and it “confirmed what they already knew.” However, they are still calling for more transparency from the mayor’s office after the report was released.

“While we are grateful that the Department of Justice has acknowledged what we have long known to be true, this simple acknowledgment will not serve to prevent future violations of constitutional rights or reduce police violence in our city. For any meaningful change to happen, systemic changes in how we address violence must occur,” the group said in a press release.

The group said change begins with transparent negotiations on the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Louisville Metro Government and the River City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

“Unfortunately, Mayor Greenberg has already stated that these negotiations will be kept behind closed doors, despite years of the community demanding otherwise,” the group said. “Allowing for transparency in the CBA process, as Mayor Greenberg promised on the campaign trail, is a critical part of ensuring that we stop LMPD’s repeated violation of individuals’ constitutional rights.

“It is not too late for the Mayor to bring transparency into this process – he has the authority to bring community observers to the negotiating table. All he has to do is act.”

The 490 Project said it will explore the possibility of intervening in the consent decree toward these goals.

“Community involvement in any agreement involving the FOP, whether it be a consent decree or the CBA process, requires community input to be transparent and bring real, needed change to Louisville,” the release said.