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BREONNA TAYLOR, POLICE
DOJ Exposes Rot in Louisville Police
Breonna Taylor’s death motivated look at violence, disrespect
The fallout of the 2020 Breonna Taylor killing by police, resulting from an invalid warrant, made clear that the Louisville, Ky. police department has serious problems in management and training.
But a two-year federal investigation into the department exposed the depth of the bullying and overall disrespect toward citizens. Attorney General Merrick Garland rightly described the results in the report as “heartbreaking. … It is an affront to the people of Louisville who deserve better.”
The department violated residents’ constitutional rights: illegal stops, detentions and arrests; excessive force with neck restraints, stun guns and dog bites; inadequate attention to sexual assault and domestic-violence cases; yelling and name-calling, which escalate conflicts.
Black residents were targeted and routinely called “animal,” “monkey” and “boy.” A group of detectives in 2018 and 2019 filmed themselves throwing drinks at pedestrians as they drove by and then distributed the cellphone videos. Two detectives pleaded guilty in June to civil rights violations in that case.
