Congressman Morgan McGarvey’s Statement on the Results of the DOJ’s Investigation of the Louisville Metro Police Department
Congressman Morgan McGarvey’s Statement on the Results of the DOJ’s Investigation of the Louisville Metro Police Department
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 8, 2023) – Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) released the following statement after the Department of Justice released their findings of an investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department following Breonna Taylor’s wrongful death on March 13, 2020:
“Like many people across Louisville, my heart breaks for Breonna Taylor and her family all over again. Just a few days short of the third anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s inexcusable killing by police, the Department of Justice confirmed what we already knew: the Louisville Metro Police Department consistently violated people’s constitutional and civil rights. The investigation found that Louisville Metro police officers have engaged in the use of excessive force, unlawful execution of search warrants, and discriminatory practices against Black communities.
“I fully support the Department of Justice’s consent decree to collaboratively work with Louisville Metro, Louisville Metro Police Department, and the community to begin righting these harmful wrongs. Excessive use of force and racial profiling in the Louisville Metro Police Department will continue to plague our community until we take decisive action to create true, lasting change. We simply cannot afford to wait.
“There’s so much we can do. We stand ready as a partner with local community organizations and officials to move forward together. We can pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to address excessive use of force and nationally ban no-knock warrants. We can pass the Mental Health Justice Act to ensure trained mental health professionals respond to crises. We can and must prevent more needless and tragic deaths from happening.
“Today’s report is a long overdue step in the right direction to hold our law enforcement accountable, but it does nothing to undo the centuries of systemic injustice Black communities have endured. We must commit to change, accountability, and justice for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tyre Nichols, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, and the far too many others who were killed by police.”
###
Congressman Morgan McGarvey represents Kentucky’s Third Congressional District, including Louisville and Jefferson County. He serves on the House Veterans Affairs and House Small Business Committees.