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Review of Louisville Police Dept. Finds Widespread Unlawful Behavior, Says US Attorney General

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro government engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional behavior, including excessive use of force and invalid warrants to conduct searches as well as discriminate against Blacks, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Wednesday.
Sputnik
"The Justice Department has concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that Louisville Metro and LMPD engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the constitutional rights of the residents of Louisville - including by using excessive force, unlawfully discriminating against Black people, conducting searches based on invalid warrants, and violating the rights of those engaged in protected speech critical of policing," Garland said.
Garland emphasized that such practices erode the community trust necessary for effective policing and are an affront to the vast majority of officers and the residents of Louisville.
The Justice Department will work closely with Louisville officials and the LMPD to negotiate a consent decree and implement robust reforms to protect the safety and civil rights of the city's residents, Garland also said.
The city has reached an agreement in principle to settle the constitutional violations found by federal investigators, Garland added.
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