Responding to the receipts: The way forward for the Louisville Metro Police Department
We now have the receipts! There is compelling evidence of systemic racism and other forms of discrimination that must be addressed. The U.S. Department of Justice has released a 90-page report on the Louisville Metro Police Department, which found evidence of systemic racism and other forms of discrimination. The report also found that Black residents were four to five times more likely than white residents to be stopped and cited for traffic violations, and that more than 60% of “no-knock” warrants and forced entries into buildings involved African Americans were related to African Americans. The Cato Institute Summer 2020 National Survey of 2,000 Americans conducted with YouGov finds that nearly two‐thirds (63%) of Americans support eliminating qualified immunity so that police officers can be sued for misconduct even if there is no previous legal case with similar facts that ruled officers may not engage in that conduct. Reactions to the LMPD investigation should include mandatory mental health counseling on a quarterly basis, and de-escalation training as it is to firearm training.
Published : one year ago by Joel A. Bowman, Sr. in
What many of us have believed about the Louisville Metro Police Department has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice. We now have the receipts! There is compelling evidence of systemic racism and other forms of discrimination that must be addressed.
The police killing of Breonna Taylor in her home three years ago this month touched off a nearly two-year investigation into the LMPD. The DOJ released its 90-page report on March 8th. What’s inside the report has profound implications for law enforcement agencies around the country.
The report reads, "For years, [the Louisville police department] has practiced an aggressive style of policing that it deploys selectively, especially against Black people, but also against vulnerable people throughout the city.”
It was found that Black residents are four to five times more likely than white residents to be stopped and cited for traffic violations. It was also found that Black residents were 50% more likely than their white counterparts to be searched. More than 60% of “no-knock” warrants and forced entries into buildings involved African Americans.
Further, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke of evidence that some LMPD officers referred to Black citizens as “monkeys,” “animal” and “boy.” The dehumanizing treatment of Black citizens by LMPD officers has involved the use of police dogs.
What can and should be done to address the racism that is deeply embedded in the culture of the LMPD? Herein, I propose the following three reforms:
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Eliminate qualified immunity and other barriers to officer accountability.
Qualified immunity is the legal doctrine that makes it more difficult to sue police officers and other public servants who have allegedly violated a person’s rights. In my estimation, qualified immunity is a serious barrier to accountability. The Cato Institute Summer 2020 National Survey of 2,000 Americans conducted with YouGov finds that nearly two‐thirds (63%) of Americans support eliminating qualified immunity so that police officers can be sued for misconduct even if there is no previous legal case with similar facts that ruled officers may not engage in that conduct.
Unions fulfill an important role. However, the Fraternal Order of Police has become so entangled with law enforcement that it often obstructs equity and transparency in policing. Therefore, I propose police union contracts be regulated more strongly to avoid such obstruction.
Reformulate police culture through training and emphasis on officer well-being.
There are roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the country with a wide variety of training curricula. This makes no sense! There should be continuity in terms of the standards to which all officers are held accountable, regardless of location. All officers should be required to go through periodic trainings on the impact of implicit bias on policing. Also, I firmly believe that as much time should be devoted to de-escalation training as it is to firearm training. That said, Rashawn Ray and Clark Neily point out in their article that while police academies around the country provide about 50 hours of firearm training, they provide less than 10 hours of de-escalation training.
Any sensible person would agree that the work of law enforcement officers can be quite stressful. Given this reality, any plan for reform must include a focus on officer well-being, especially the mental health of each officer. Much of the depression, anxiety and relational problems officers face could be attributed to the stress of their jobs. In their piece, Ray and Neily suggest mandatory mental health counseling on a quarterly basis. Be it on a quarterly or 6-month basis, such a mandate would normalize mental health treatment and reduce the stigma associated with it. Moreover, officers would be better positioned to engage all citizens in a humane manner.
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Reallocate the burden of misconduct payouts from taxpayers to police departments.
Why should hard-working taxpayers bear the financial weight of police misconduct? It is only just that the burden of civilian payouts be shifted from taxpayers to police department liability insurance policies. As it stands now, many police officers who engage in misconduct are absolved of any financial culpability. What’s more, police departments often face minimal financial consequences. This is wrong, and it must be corrected.
To be sure, the problems that exist in the LMPD are long-standing and complex. But, through the implementation of the aforementioned reforms Louisville can become a safer place- one that is truly protective of all.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, the Reverend Joel A. Bowman is the founder and senior pastor of the Temple of Faith Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also a licensed clinical social worker and public intellectual. Reverend Bowman and his wife have three children. You may follow him @JoelABowmanSr and at his website (acompellingvoice.com).
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: The way forward for the Louisville Metro Police Department: Opinion
Topics: Kentucky, Louisville, Metro