Mayor Greg Fischer has announced a more thorough review of sexual assault allegations against Louisville Metro Police officer Brett Hankison, and has asked that he be removed from his role on the Louisville Police Merit Board.
Hankison is one of three officers who fired on Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman killed by police in her home in March. He's currently on paid administrative leave while the investigation into that shooting continues.
Last week, two women came forward on social media to accuse Hankison of sexual assault, and claimed there were several other victims as well.
LMPD’s Public Integrity Unit had been investigating the recent claims, but the Mayor said in a statement today that Hankison is now also being investigated by the Kentucky Public Corruption/Civil Rights Task Force.
That task force involves the FBI, LMPD, the Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General.
The statement said this investigation would proceed separately from the Taylor investigation, which has also been handed off to the Attorney General.
Fischer also called for Hankison to be removed from the Louisville Police Merit Board, which reviews disciplinary appeals. Hankison was one of two members of the board elected by the Fraternal Order of Police; the other five are civilians appointed by the mayor.
In the letter to Ryan Nichols, the president of the River City FOP, Fischer said that if the FOP doesn’t remove him, “Louisville Metro will be taking any and all actions that it can to remove him.”
Until Hankison is removed, Fischer has said no cases can be submitted to the merit board for consideration.
