The Louisville Metro Police Department committed widespread civil rights abuses against black

people, women and people with disabilities according to nudie release findings from a federal

investigation.

The department has concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that Louisville Metro

and LMPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the first and fourth

amendments of the Constitution.

There is also reasonable cause to believe that they engage in conduct that violates

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Safe Streets Act and the Americans with

Disabilities Act.

The Department of Justice under the Biden administration launched the investigation

in response to the killing of Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death by Louisville police

officers in a department three years ago.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the findings at a press conference last week.

Shortly after we opened the investigation, an LMPD leader told the department, Breonna

Taylor was a symptom of problems that we have had for years.

The Justice Department's findings and the report that we are releasing today bear that out.

The investigation dug into some of the controversial practices that factored into Breonna's death,

like no knock warrants and searches based on falsified information.

Garland said they found widespread abuses in those areas, but the DOJ uncovered a lot

more than that.

LMPD has relied heavily on pretextual traffic stops in black neighborhoods.

In these stops, officers use the pretense of making a stop from minor traffic offense

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