The tragic death of Breonna Taylor in March of 2020 sparked a nationwide conversation about police brutality and racism in America. It also led to a two-year investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) into the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government. On Wednesday, the DOJ released a 90-page report detailing the findings of their investigation, which included two incidents of “unlawful” releases of a police dog.
The first incident occurred during a search for a home invasion suspect. A Louisville Metro Police officer released his police dog on a 14-year-old Black boy who was spotted lying on the ground. According to the report, the officer deployed his dog without warning and ordered the dog to bite the teen at least seven times. The teen remained prone and pleaded for help as officers continued to stand over him and shout orders for about 30 seconds while the dog gnawed on his arm. The teen suffered severe injuries on his arm and back and was admitted to a children’s hospital.
The second incident involved a white man who was found lying face up, on his back, in his boxers, with his hands up. The man tried to comply with the officers’ orders while the dog continued to bite his foot for nearly a minute.
The Justice Department concluded that the police department and government agency exhibited a pattern of misconduct, excessive use of force, and discrimination. They also stated that officers should not have ordered their dogs to bite the people involved, as both were trying to comply with orders and were not resisting.
The Louisville Metro Police Department responded to the report by saying that they had just received the DOJ report and would be conducting a thorough review of it by command staff. They added that they were committed to improving public safety and making LMPD the premier police department in the country.
This latest report from the DOJ further highlights the need for police reform in the United States. It is clear that officers need to be better trained to handle situations such as these in a more humane manner. The use of unnecessary force and excessive violence must be stopped if we are to create a more just and equitable society.
