DOJ investigation into LMPD hits 1-year mark

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - It’s been one year since the United States Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation into Louisville Metro Police department and Metro government.

So far, no findings from that federal investigation have been released.

WAVE News checked with LMPD, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and the justice department, who all said the federal investigation is still underway.

These investigations can take more than a year to complete. The DOJ is gathering information from a five year time period.

LMPD told WAVE News they are still cooperating with the justice department as the investigation unfolds.

Fischer said investigators are still gathering information from the community as well, but said Metro is not waiting for the justice department recommendations to come down.

He said metro government has already banned no knock warrants, set up an inspector general’s office and completed a top to bottom review of LMPD with an outside consultant.

“We have not waited for any investigation to complete itself,” Fischer said. “We started our own review with the Hillard Heintz review, we’re working hand and glove with DOJ. The goal is to improve the relationship between the community and police as quickly as we can.”

One of the mayor’s goals was to create a performance review board within LMPD to evaluate use of force incidents and give quick feedback to officers.

LMPD said the board has been created but has not reviewed cases yet because it’s still trying to finalize how it will operate.

Once the DOJ investigation finishes, it can enter a consent decree with the federal court.

That’s a judge approved deal between the local and federal governments to make changes.

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