Louisville has declared racism a public health crisis in the wake of the police killing of Breonna Taylor in the Kentucky city.
Mayor Greg Fischer made the declaration Tuesday by signing an executive order titled “Advancing Racial Equity for Black Louisville,” which calls for a focus on “the societal, physical and mental health impacts” on the black community.
The move, which comes more than eight months after Taylor was shot dead during a botched police raid, also vows support for Kentucky state initiatives to increase police transparency and accountability, Fischer said in a briefing.
“Breonna’s tragic death has made our city a focal point for America’s reckoning of racial justice,” Fischer said. “The last few months have been painful for us as a community and for many of us personally. The status quo is not working nor is it acceptable.”
“As mayor and just as an American and a human being, racism sickens me,” he added.
The order calls for the city to increase diversity in the ranks of the Louisville Metro Police Department, implement a focus on community policing, and the creation of an independent civilian review board.
Louisville has been the focal point of Black Lives Matter protests since Taylor was killed on March 13 when police raided her apartment and opened fire.
Three police officers involved in the raid were later cleared by a grand jury, with just one — since fired Detective Brett Hankison — charged with “wantonly” firing his weapon.
Grand jurors in the case later questioned Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s presentation to the panel, saying they were never given the option of indicting the cops for directly causing Taylor’s death.