The Louisville Metro Police Department declared a state of emergency ahead of a grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case, according to an internal memo Monday.
LMPD (Louisville police) declare State of Emergency in preparation for Grand Jury announcement on Breonna Taylor.
Still no word on when – most expect this week. pic.twitter.com/I5Kads0n4l
— Cal Perry (@CalNBC) September 21, 2020
Officers were executing a no-knock warrant in March when they entered an apartment and said they were fired upon by Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. The warrant allowed police to look for drugs regarding an investigation into Taylor’s ex-boyfriend. Police responded by firing their weapons, killing Taylor.
Former Sgt. Brett Hankison, who shot 10 rounds into the apartment, was fired after displaying “an extreme indifference to the value of human life,” according to a letter posted on the Louisville PD’s Twitter. Officers Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly are on administrative leave.
“In anticipation of Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s announcement in the Breonna Taylor case, I am declaring a state of emergency for the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD),” the memo said according to NBC News. (RELATED: Police Release Report From Breonna Taylor’s Death, List Injuries As ‘None’ Despite Her Reportedly Being Shot 8 Times)
WINDOWS AT THE federal courthouse in Louisville were boarded up on Saturday before an anticipated decision in the Breonna Taylor case. https://t.co/C2WI5g0odD pic.twitter.com/SY31YP9cSd
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) September 20, 2020
The state of emergency and various guidelines outlined are effective immediately, Louisville Metropolitan Police Chief Robert J. Schroeder said according to the memo. Vacation and off-day requests have been cancelled for the time being and officers will work 12-hour shifts, the memo added according to NBC News.
The grand jury decision comes after the city of Louisville settled with Taylor’s family. The $12 million settlement is reportedly the largest in the city’s history, NBC News correspondent Blayne Alexander tweeted. The police department also announced various reforms, including that police executives now have to OK search warrants before being approved by a judge, Alexander wrote.