U.S. launches civil-rights probe of Louisville police
"The investigation will assess whether LMPD engages in a pattern or practice of using unreasonable force, including with respect to people involved in peaceful, expressive activities," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced.
The probe will also examine whether the police "engages in unconstitutional stops, searches and seizures as well as whether the department unlawfully executes search warrants on private homes," Garland added.
The announcement came five days after the department began a similar review of the Minneapolis Police Department after its former officer, Derek Chauvin, was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, a Black man, in May.
The inquiries mark a sharp shift in the department's focus under Democratic President Joe Biden, who has made racial justice a priority and plans to discuss police reform in his first speech to Congress on Wednesday.
