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LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF
GREG FISCHER ROBERT J. SCHROEDER
MAYOR CHIEF OF POLICE
June 23, 2020
Detective Brett Hankison #6120
Criminal Interdiction Division
Public Integrity Case #20-019
Dear Detective Hankison:
Please be advised effective this date your employment with the Louisville Metro Police
Department is terminated. | am taking this action based upon my review of Public Integrity Unit
investigation file #20-019, which was initiated on March 13, 2020, and your Pre-Termination
meeting held on today’s date. The original investigation was conducted by the Louisville Metro.
Police Department's Public Integrity Unit. The following is the result of my subsequent review of
the Public Integrity Unit file
Violations of:
Standard Operating Procedure 5.1.2 Obedience to Rules and Regulations (4 counts)
-Sustained
Standard Operating Procedure 9.1.12 Use of Deadly Force (10 counts) “Sustained
I have determined you violated Standard Operating Procedure 5.1.2 Obedience to Rules and
Reaulations when your actions displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life
when you wantonly and blindly fired ten (10) rounds into the apartment of Breonna Taylor on
March 13, 2020. These rounds created a substantial danger of death and serious injury to
Breonna Taylor and the three occupants of the apartment next to Ms. Taylor's. | make my
determination pursuant to the preponderance of the evidence.
You also violated Standard Operating Procedure 9.1.12 Use of Deadly Force when you used
deadly force by blindly firing ten (10) rounds into Breonna Taylor's apartment without supporting
facts that your deadly force was directed at a person against whom posed an immediate threat
of danger or serious injury to yourself of others. In fact the ten (10) rounds you fired were into a
Patio door and window which were covered with material that completely prevented you from
verifying any person as an immediate threat or more importantly any innocent persons present.
633 WEST JEFFERSON STREET LOUISVILLE, KY 40202
OFFICE PHONE 502.574.7660 FAX 502.574.2450 etecuve bs. Hankison
June 23, 2020
Page 2
You further failed to be cognizant of the direction in which your firearm was discharged. Some of
the rounds you fired actually travelled into the apartment next to Ms. Taylor's endangering the
three lives in that apartment. You have previously been disciplined for reckless conduct that
injured an innocent person in Professional Standards Case #17-062 for which you were
disciplined on January 9, 2019.
Based upon my review, these are extreme violations of our policies. | find your conduct a shock
to the conscience. | am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion. You have
never been trained by the Louisville Metro Policed Department to use deadly force in this
fashion. Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself and the Department. Your conduct
has severely damaged the image of our Department we have established with our community.
‘The result of your actions seriously impedes the Department's goal of providing the citizens of
our city with the most professional law enforcement agency possible. | cannot tolerate this type
of conduct by any member of the Louisville Metro Police Department. Your conduct demands
your termination. | have the utmost confidence in my decision to terminate your employment for
the best interest for the Louisville Metro Police Department and our community.
Pursuant to Louisville Metro Police Merit Board Rules and Regulations 9.3(4), “Any police officer
removed, suspended, laid off, reduced in grade or reprimanded by the Chief shall be allowed a
Period of ten (10) days from the date of notice from the Chief to file a written response to the
disciplinary action which shall be made a part of the officer's permanent personnel record in the
Police Department. No trial or examination of witnesses shall be required in any such case
‘except at the discretion of the Chief.”
Pursuant to Louisville Metro Police Merit Board Rules and Regulations 9.3(4), “Disciplinary
action taken by the Chief involving suspension, demotion, or dismissal of any permanent officer
shall be subject to review by the Board on an appeal by the employee. if such a review is
requested in writing, within ten (10) days from the effective date of the disciplinary action, the
Board shall schedule and conduct a public hearing to review the action of the Chief subject to
the Hearing Procedures of the Board and applicable statutes.”
Pursuant to Section 10.1(2) of the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board Rules and Regulations,
aan appeal requesting the Louisville Metro, Police Merit Board (the “Board”) to review my action in
this case must be made in writing to the Board with a copy to me within ten days of the effective
date of the disciplinary action set forth in this letter, and must include a statement of the grounds
for appeal.
‘Once an appeal for review is properly filed, the Board will schedule @ public hearing to review
the disciplinary action set forth in this letter pursuant to Section 9.3(4) of the Louisville Metro
Police Merit Board Rules and Regulations. A copy of the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board
Rules and Regulations may be obtained from the Board. The rules are also available at:
http!/MyMetro/HumanResources/CivilService/PoliceMeritBoardRulesandRequlations.pdf.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Schroeder
Chief of Police
633 WEST JEFFERSON STREET LOUISVILLE, KY 40202
OFFICE PHONE 502.574.7660 FAX 502.574.2450 June 23, 2020
Page 3
RJSWDS/dng
Cc: Lieutenant Colonel L. Chavous
Major J. Schwab
Major K. Burbrink
Wm. Dennis Sims
Professional Standards Unit
Human Resources
Metro Human Resources
633 WEST JEFFERSON STREET LOUISVILLE, KY 40202
OFFICE PHONE 502.574.7660 FAX 502.574.2450
