Louisville Police had 'practice' of abuses, 'aggressive' enforcement against Black people, DOJ investigation finds

Nearly five years after plainclothes officers shot and killed Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman, during a botched search warrant raid in her Louisville home, the Justice Department found the Louisville Metro Police Department broadly "engage[d] in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law."
That conclusion, published Wednesday, comes after two years of DOJ investigations into the LMPD, prompted by Taylor's death and the broad social and racial justice protests it sparked. The 90-page document covers a number of ways the department, and the Louisville government at large, allowed unlawful conduct to "continue unchecked," writing that for years, "LMPD has practiced an aggressive style of policing that it deploys selectively, especially against Black people, but also against vulnerable people throughout the city."
Among the investigation's findings:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
- 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.
Calling his department's findings "unacceptable and unconstitutional," Attorney General Merrick Garland said the behavior "erodes the community trust necessary for effective policing" in a brief statement.
"To those people who have been harmed: on behalf of our city government, I'm sorry," newly elected Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said, following the release of the investigation report. "You deserved better."
As the Justice Department noted, Louisville has spent more than $40 million to resolve police misconduct claims over the past six years, although it has also "not waited to make changes" such as banning the controversial "no-knock" warrants that were used at Taylor's home, and dispatching mental health professionals on certain 911 calls. However, the department concluded, "much work remains to ensure that the city and its police department comply with federal law." To that end, the DOJ has recommended several steps the department can take to stem its pattern of violations, including revising its use-of-force policies and training, and adjusting its methods for obtaining and executing search warrants.
Wednesday's report is separate from the ongoing federal civil rights case against the officers involved in Taylor's death.
On Twitter, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) reacted to the department's findings, saying the report only confirmed "what we already know about too many police departments: they unlawfully discriminate against Black people and people with disabilities."
"I'm thinking of Breonna Taylor now," Bush added. "She should be alive today."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Holy mate-trimony: the rise of 'friendship marriages'
Under the Radar Young people in China, Japan and the US are saying 'I do' to platonic unions, to alleviate social pressure or loneliness and access financial benefits
-
Deportations ensnare migrant families, U.S. citizens
Feature Trump's deportation crackdown is sweeping up more than just immigrants as ICE targets citizens, judges and nursing mothers
-
Trump shrugs off warnings over trade war costs
Feature Trump's tariffs are spiraling the U.S. toward an economic crisis as shipments slow down—and China doesn't plan to back down
-
Trump is not sure he must follow the Constitution
speed read When asked about due process for migrants in a TV interview, President Trump said he didn't know whether he had to uphold the Fifth Amendment
-
Trump judge bars deportations under 1798 law
speed read A Trump appointee has ruled that the president's use of a wartime act for deportations is illegal
-
Trump ousts Waltz as NSA, taps him for UN role
speed read President Donald Trump removed Mike Waltz as national security adviser and nominated him as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
-
Trump blames Biden for tariffs-linked contraction
speed read The US economy shrank 0.3% in the first three months of 2025, the Commerce Department reported
-
Trump says he could bring back Ábgego García but won't
Speed Read At a rally to mark his 100th day in office, the president doubled down on his unpopular immigration and economic policies
-
Canada's Liberals, Carney win national election
Speed Read The party of Prime Minister Mark Carney beat Conservative Pierre Poilievre thanks in part to Trump's trade war
-
Trump's 100-day approval ratings at historic low
Speed Read Americans appear to be wary of Trump's sweeping tariffs and handling of the economy
-
Judge blocks key part of Trump's elections overhaul
Speed Read Colleen Kollar-Kotelly's decision temporarily bars federal officials from requiring Americans to prove they are citizens to register to vote