RIOTS? Louisville Metro Police Department Declares State of Emergency as Grand Jury Prepares Breonna Taylor Decision
Richard Moorhead
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The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department is operating under a state of emergency, ordering its officers to report for such duties as a grand jury decision in the death of Breonna Taylor is expected.
Taylor was a 26-year old woman who was killed in a highly controversial police raid targeting her boyfriend’s apartment, an alleged drug dealer.
Officials of the police department reportedly expect a grand jury to reach a decision regarding potential criminal charges in the death of Taylor. Progressive and Black Lives Matter activists have agitated for former Louisville Police Officer Brett Hankison to be charged in her death. Hankison has since been fired from the police department for use of force.
WAVE 3 News obtained an memo issued by LMPD Interim Chief Rob Schroeder, ordering all personnel of the department to report for duty under emergency staffing procedures.
“To ensure we have the appropriate level of staffing to provide for public safety services and our policing functions, effective immediately the LMPD will operate under the emergency staffing and reporting guidelines as outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Response Plan and collective bargaining agreements until further notice.”
“Effective immediately, all off-days are hereby cancelled and vacation requests that have not already been submitted and approved are cancelled until further notice,” said another statement, emphasizing the volatility of the situation should the grand jury decline to indict Hankison.
Groups such as the black nationalist ‘Not F****** Around Coalition’ have appeared around Louisville demanding that authorities charge Hankison in armed protest events. It’s likely they’ll mobilize in some fashion-peaceful or otherwise- if Hankison isn’t charged.
WAVE 3 has also reported that federal buildings in Louisville have been closed in advance of potential riots, and that federal law enforcement have been brought into the city to protect them.
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