Louisville declares racism a public health crisis after Breonna Taylor shooting

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The city of Louisville has declared racism a public health crisis after the police shooting of Breonna Taylor.

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.

“Breonna’s tragic death has made our city a focal point for America’s reckoning of racial justice,” Fischer said in a press conference briefing. “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 executive order calls for the city to increase diversity witin the ranks of the Louisville Metro Police Department, implementation of a community policing approach, and the creation of an independent civilian review board.

The move also vows support for Kentucky’s initiatives to increase police transparency and accountability, Fischer said.

Louisville has been the focal point of police accountability and race relations since the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor.

According to a recent analysis by The Courier Journal, Louisville Metro police disproportionately targeted Black residents for no knock warrants.

Taylor, 26, was killed when police executed a no knock search warrant on her home for a drug investigation.

The grand jury declined to indict the officers for Taylor’s death but charged former detective Brett Hankison for wanton endangerment for firing bullets into Taylor’s neighbors apartments.

While the officers were cleared of any wrong doing for Taylor’s killing, the city of Louisville agreed to pay Taylor’s family $12 million for her wrongful death.