Justice Department finds Louisville police use 'excessive force,' discriminate against black people

The Justice Department said Wednesday it has concluded a years-long investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government and found violations of federal laws including those on excessive force and race-based discrimination.  

The federal government launched the investigation in April 2021 after the death of Breonna Taylor. She was shot and killed by police in March 2020 after her boyfriend opened fire on officers executing a search warrant on her apartment.

"The Justice Department has concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that Louisville Metro and LMPD engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the constitutional rights of the residents of Louisville – including by using excessive force, unlawfully discriminating against Black people, conducting searches based on invalid warrants, and violating the rights of those engaged in protected speech critical of policing," Attorney General Merrick Garland said. 

Garland, the country's top law enforcement official, also said his agency has entered into an agreement in principle with the police department and local government, "which have agreed to resolve the problems through a consent decree rather than litigation."