U.S. Justice Dept finds Louisville police discriminates against Black residents

The Louisville, Kentucky police department whose officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor in 2020 routinely discriminates against Black residents, uses excessive force and conducts illegal searches, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.

The department's findings come nearly two years after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland launched a civil rights probe into the police department and the Louisville-Jefferson County government to evaluate whether police routinely use unreasonable force and conduct unconstitutional searches.

At a news conference, Garland said the department had reached a "consent decree" with the Louisville police, which will require the use of an independent monitor to oversee policing reforms.