The US Attorney General Merrick Garland came to Louisville today, to announce that the Louisville Metro Police Department hasn't the foggiest clue what the Constitution is, much less the inclination to follow it.
The Department of Justice has been investigating LMPD since 2021 and today they released the results of that. If you're so inclined you can read the full 90 page report here.
For those of you who aren't that much of a masochist, here's the tl;dr version from the report:
LMPD uses excessive force, including unjustified neck restraints and the unreasonable use of police dogs and tasers .
LMPD conducts searches based on invalid warrants .
LMPD unlawfully executes search warrants without knocking and announcing.
LMPD unlawfully stops, searches, detains, and arrests people during street enforcement activities, including traffic and pedestrian stops.
LMPD unlawfully discriminates against Black people in its enforcement activities.
LMPD violates the rights of people engaged in protected speech critical of policing.
Louisville Metro and LMPD discriminate against people with behavioral health disabilities when responding to them in crisis.
We also identified deficiencies in LMPD's response to and investigation of domestic violence and sexual assault, including its responses to allegations that LMPD officers engaged in sexual
misconduct or domestic violence . These deficiencies raise serious concerns about whether LMPD engages in gender bias in providing policing services to women .
That's not exactly short but then again, neither is LMPD's list of misdeeds. Basically the feds confirmed everything we'd been saying LMPD was doing, and then some. Turns out we're the first city to be found in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, for the way people going through mental health crises are treated.
Can't tell you how many times I've gotten disbelieving looks trying to explain that it was the cops escalating things in 2020, that nothing caught fire until after we'd gotten blasted with tear gas and pepper balls. Hearing the feds say the same thing, that was a vindication that I was afraid I'd never see.
The vindication is nice but the real test is what comes next. The city is going to enter into a consent decree, which is where they agree to make changes and get judge-enforced independent oversight to try and make sure it happens. Fixing what the NY Times called "one of the country’s most hated police departments" will be no small task but with the feds breathing down their neck we might actually see some results. Ask me in a few years and I'll let you know the verdict.
If there's one thing conservatives and liberals in this country can agree on, it's that rioting and property destruction are BAD. Curiously enough, it seems like that's what it requires to get anyone to take a serious look at what's going on. Ferguson, Baltimore, and now Louisville, it took people rising up and burning it down to get the feds to take a look and say 'this shit's fucked up!' Kind of makes you wonder why they're more fixated on broken windows than police brutality...
Photos are all from protests here in Louisville, Kentucky back in 2020, in no particular order.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a report to finish reading. Be safe out there y'all.
