Breonna Taylor died 4 years ago. Is Louisville actually committed to police reform?

Keeping the fire of accountability lit is a way to recognize a lifetime of trauma, abuse of poverty, corruption and more inflicted upon the Louisville community, state of Kentucky and beyond.

There is no way to include all the victims of this history of police practices in our beautiful city. Some of those victims remain nameless. Some have been silenced by the clock, lack of money and legal resources and a lack of the ongoing support it takes to keep going. Some have been buried and some formerly and even currently work within the Louisville Metro Police Department. I hate that on March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker became the perfect victims that represent the many harms caused by our Louisville Metro Police Department.

Louisville's commitment to justice for Breonna Taylor

Four years of protest, court proceedings and various community organizing has shown our community’s commitment to justice, but it has not been without extreme costs. At least four comrades from BreeWayy have since passed away. Protestors arrested in 2020 still have felony charges. The Department of Justice, not a community activist group, has proved the LMPD has engaged in severely racist and problematic practices from its inception until the present day.

As we reflect on the last four years, we must always say Breonna Taylor’s name, uplift those whose lives were too soon cut down, acknowledge the sacrifice of our dedicated community members and celebrate the victories we have won, like the ban on no-knock search warrants and getting Former Judge Mary Shaw replaced. More people and groups than can be named were able to secure several wins across the state.

Gerth: Kentucky politicians bully the weak and powerless to benefit themselves

Organizers ensured Daniel Cameron was not elected to become our governor, there is now an updated policy for the warrant assignment process in District Court, citizens are conducting more open records requests, there is increased community involvement in elections and increased participation on boards and commissions. Because of these efforts, and the appointment of an Inspector General, Louisville now has the Civilian Review and Accountability Board.

The People's Consent Decree

I am also proud that there is now more funding towards affordable housing and harm reduction than ever before, including the pilot deflection program that has been initiated and since expanded. The DOJ investigation and its subsequent report was powerful and helped lead to the People's Consent Decree. Louisville has also seen an expansion of nonprofit organizations and small businesses that help address violence and public safety.  Some of these organizations include the Hope Village and Feed Louisville. Additional victories include more accurate and diverse media stories, police tracking and documentation, additional progressive candidates for office all over the state, and community events and projects like The Breonna Taylor Foundation. And this list is not exhaustive

Despite the resignation of Erika Shields and some ceremonial transitions, the fact remains that the LMPD is still a deeply problematic institution, not unlike police departments around the country, and indeed the world. Our community has little trust in the LMPD, rightly so. Some LMPD officers have been linked to white supremacist organizations, and others have been alleged to have thrown drinks at young Black children as recently as 2023.

Kentuckians aren't dumb. HB 5 is an attack on Kentucky's most vulnerable populations.

I have long been accused of being “anti-police”, but I am anti-corruption. While my experiences and opinions do not always align with the Department of Justice, their report on the LMPD is sobering, and confirms what our community has always known about out police department. Even still, the report on The History of Policing in Louisville, commissioned by the mayor’s office, outlines a long history of discriminatory practices against Black and brown people, queer people, disabled people and poor people.

Our long chain of struggle is filled with activists who have been working tirelessly to hold the police department accountable for their actions demand transparency, and there have been improvements and good police officers dedicated to serving our community. I once wanted to be a police officer because I have always been passionate about community service. However, as several reports have indicated, our system of policing is harmful in many ways to our community and has caused the killing of our friends and neighbors, as so tragically exemplified by the killing of Breonna Taylor four years ago.

The many tasks and responsibilities required to change policy

I have always been called an “activist”, and that is a title I wear proudly because I will always be active, and advocate for better policies and practices to improve everyone’s lives. However, what “activist” does not clearly identify, is the many tasks and responsibilities required to change policy in favor of the most marginalized of us. I have managed millions of dollars, provided conflict resolution, given presentations, managed large teams of people, crossed lines of difference, budgeted, forecasted and so much more. In my current leadership role as a Louisville Metro Council member, I am learning just how much our legal system privileges the status quo. There is a broad lack of political will to hold police accountable and I have been met with resistance and nonchalance when even trying to pass a non-binding resolution.

However, I am not discouraged, I am energized. I have been doing this work for decades, and will continue to fight, in all my roles, for justice. As I reflect on the sacrifices myself and countless others have made in the name of seeking justice, I am resolute. I am strengthened and heartened by the ways our community continues to work and demand better. I still do not think I have completely processed everything that has happened in the last four years, but one thing is certain, I would not change a single decision I have made or action I have taken. I am far from perfect, but I am proud of the work I have done in conjunction with so many other heroes in our city. We truly get there together. And “there” is an equitable, sustainable future for all of us – Black, Brown, queer, disabled, poor, etc.

I will be speaking more and have invited several community members and organizations to speak, at a press conference on March 13th, 2024.

We will not be overrun, silenced or sidelined. I will always act, and there will be justice.

Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright was elected to serve District 3 in November 2023. In 2024, she serves as a member of the Public Safety, Government Oversight/Audit & Appointments, and Budget Committees.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Seeking justice for Breonna Taylor, LMPD victims continues years later