LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Following Breonna Taylor’s death and other findings by the United States Department of Justice, the Louisville Metro Government and the Louisville Metro Police Department signed a proposed consent decree in Dec. 2024.

What You Need To Know

  • Louisville’s consent decree pledges reforms and accountability within the Louisville Metro Government and its police department

  • The decree isn't yet active, however, as its fate lays in the hands of a federal judge

  • Republicans of Metro Council’s Minority Caucus filed court documents in U.S. District Court urging a judge to reject the decree

  • Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, said the city remains committed to police reform, accountability and transparency

It lays out hundred of changes to policies and training the Louisville Metro Police Department would have to make in the coming years.

The decree isn't yet active, however, as its fate is in the hands of a federal judge.

Louisville Metro Inspector General Edward Harness said the office's role is to serve as oversight of the Louisville Metro Police Department, which involves investigating certain allegations and policies and procedures within the department. 

“Currently, the judge has issued an order requiring the parties to answer certain questions," Harness said. "Louisville Metro has filed their answer in accordance with that order; the Department of Justice has not filed their answer yet."

"The due date for that answer is the 18th of March. In between the judge issuing that order and this date, there’s been a new filing by the minority caucus of Metro Council asking that they be allowed to file a friend-of-the-court brief to state their opposition to the consent decree." 

Republicans of Metro Council's Minority Caucus filed court documents in U.S. District Court earlier in March. 

“We are for making sure these reforms happen," said Councilman Anthony Piagentini, R-District 19, and Minority Caucus chair. "The question is only, 'Do we believe an unelected Department of Justice and judge-appointed third-party consultant that will charge us millions of dollars? Do we think that they will be more effective at executing it? Or do we think that this is our job?’"

"We are the voice of the people as the local elected legislature, and we already have the authority to ensure the mayor's doing his job and to hold him accountable if he isn’t. It's not a question of, ‘Should we execute reforms and have the best-possible LMPD Department that we can?’ The question is, ‘Who is the best group of people to ensure that happens?’"

"Our argument is it should be Metro Council holding the Mayor’s Office accountable. It should not be the Department of Justice and some unelected third-party that doesn’t represent the people." "Our argument is it should be Metro Council holding the Mayor’s Office accountable. It should not be the Department of Justice and some unelected third-party that doesn’t represent the people." 

Piagentini said they’ve already implemented about 30 to 40% of what is proposed in the consent decree. 

“We mention it in our brief that we just took a vote on Metro Council to fund a project that is part-and-parcel of implementing this, so we’re already doing it, doing the job of improving things and making sure that we have a constitutional police department here," Piagentini said. "The DOJ, frankly, provides no additional value in executing that, other than costing taxpayers millions of dollars that frankly we need to use for the reforms.”

Some community members, however, are still waiting. 

"And is it going to be in the favor of the people? Are we going to actually have a signed, filed consent decree?”“So now we’re wondering, is anything going to happen this month as it’s supposed to with the consent decree?" said Attica Scott, former Kentucky State House representative and community activist. "And is it going to be in the favor of the people? Are we going to actually have a signed, filed consent decree?”

Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, said he remains hopeful a federal judge will sign off on the consent decree; however, if that does not happen, he's committed to making sure Metro Government implements the policies and procedures outlined. 

"This includes having an independent monitor to validate the results and progress of LMPD; this includes community feedback and public accountability," Greenberg said. 

Greenberg added the city is committed to police reform, accountability and transparency.

Piagentini said he hopes the judge does not move forward with the Department of Justice and implementing reforms is instead left to Louisville Metro Council and the mayor's office. 

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