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The Justice Department will launch an investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department to determine if there is a pattern of discrimination or excessive force within its ranks, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Monday. 

The investigation marks the launch of the second such "pattern or practice" investigation since Garland took over as attorney general and comes more than a year after the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor by Louisville, Ky., police fueled worldwide protests against police violence and racial injustice. 

"The investigation will assess whether LMPD [Louisville Metro Police Department] engages in a pattern or practice of using unreasonable force, including with respect to people involved in peaceful, expressive activities," Garland said.  

"It will determine whether LMPD engages in unconstitutional stops, searches and seizures, as well as whether the department unlawfully executes search warrants on private homes."

, a 26-year-old Louisville emergency medical technician, was shot and killed in her home in March 2020 by police as they attempted an early-morning narcotics raid on her apartment. 

Taylor was neither the subject of the warrant 

The city settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Taylor's family in September for $12 million. The settlement included a series of police reforms. Louisville had earlier also banned no-knock warrants.

The police department fired one of the officers involved in the killing last year. The department said 

 "displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life."

Monday's announcement follows the launch of a similar "

" investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department last Wednesday. That move came a day after a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on murder charges for the death of George Floyd.   

Crime, Law and Justice

Social Issues

Conversations around race and racial justice

Alana Wise

Author

The announcement comes more than a year after Taylor was fatally shot by police at her Louisville apartment. It is the second probe of police the Justice Department has announced in less than a week. 

DOJ to investigate Louisville police in response to death of Breonna Taylor

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