U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a Department of Justice investigation into the practices of the Louisville Police Department.
The investigation comes a year after Louisville officers shot and killed Breonna Taylor in her apartment during a botched raid.
Garland referred to Taylor when he announced the investigation on Monday, saying it “will determine whether LMPD engages in unconstitutional stops, searches and seizures, as well as whether the department unlawfully executes search warrants on private homes,” he said, adding that “it will also assess whether LMPD engages in discriminatory conduct on the basis of race, or fails to perform public services that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Investigation will include comprehensive review of the Louisville police department policies and training.”
Garland said the department intends to issue a public report on the findings in the aim to find “mutually agreeable steps that they can take to correct and prevent unlawful patterns and practices.”
Brett Hankison, the officer indicted on three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree in the death of Taylor, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial has been pushed back to February 1, 2022, and three other officers involved were not indicted and are facing no charges.
