Four months ago, Breonna Taylor was killed in her own home by Louisville Metro Police while sleeping. Despite calls for justice only growing louder and louder as time has passed, only one of the officers involved in Taylor’s death has faced any kind of consequence. The outrage only intensified after David McAtee was shot and killed by law enforcement during a protest over Taylor’s death. Now, an investigation into how Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has handled the case is set to be launched.
On Monday, an order to launch the investigation was filed by the Government Oversight and Audit Committee (GOA) of the Louisville Metro Council, “into the action and inaction of the Fischer Administration,” according to a press release from the city, CNN reports. While there is currently no set timeline for the investigation as it has not officially started yet, the GOA plans to subpoena both Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad and current Chief Robert Schroeder. Conrad was fired from his position shortly after the death of McAtee.
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The investigation will look into the actions taken by the police department leading up to Taylor’s death, documents related to Taylor and McAtee’s death, the training protocols and systems utilized by the LMPD, and the use of no-knock warrants. The investigation will also examine the city’s response to the protests, including why police used tear gas at a peaceful protest and who ordered the police and the Kentucky National Guard to 26th and Broadway on the evening McAtee died.
Once the investigation concludes, the committee has the ability to recommend what actions they believe should be taken to the full council. As the investigation is still in its early stages, the committee doesn’t know what those actions may entail. I think firing the officers involved and denying them pension would be a good first step, but hey, what do I know?
From CNN:
“State law gives the Metro Council the power to remove any Metro Officer from office, that includes the mayor but it has to be for misconduct or criminal activity,” the committee told CNN. “This applies to boards and commissions and the directors of Metro Government departments as well. But such action requires a majority approval vote from the Metro Council following the presentation of a report or results from an investigation. The Council also has the power of the purse when it comes to funding all government agencies including LMPD. Again, I will point out the committee has to investigate first.”
After months of little to no action being taken, I’m really hoping this investigation results in something finally being done. The LMPD displayed a criminal level of incompetence and an innocent woman lost her life as a result. The fact that justice has still not been delivered for Breonna Taylor only makes this tragedy more insulting.
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