ICYMI 9/2020| An officer with the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department has been relieved of her command after sending an email to her department degrading Black Lives Matter and Antifa as “punks” who “do not deserve a second glance or thought from us.”
“Our little pinky toe nails have more character, morals, and ethics, than these punks have in their entire body,” wrote Maj. Bridget Hallahan, command of the LMPD’s 5th division. “Do not stoop to their level. Do not respond to them. If we do, we only validate what they did. Don’t make them important, because they are not.”
“They will be the ones washing our cars, cashing us out at Walmart, or living in their parents’ basement playing (Call of Duty) for their entire life,” Hallahan wrote.
The email was sent in August, but a Louisville journalist, Phillip Bailey, tweeted screenshots of the email last week that he said were provided to him by a “law enforcement source.”
How frustrated is @LMPD?
A law enforcement source got me this August message from Maj. Bridget Hallahan to 5th Div. (Highland) officers calling protesters "punks" who "will be the ones washing our cars, cashing us out at the @Walmart or living" with their parents. #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/X5YhcycgGI
— Philmonger (@phillipmbailey) September 23, 2020
Hallahan confirmed to NBC News that she did send the email. She has since been relieved of her command and placed under investigation for the email. She said that her fellow officers have been supportive of her.
In a news conference held on Friday, the Interim Louisville Police Chief Robert Schroeder said that the sentiments of the email were Hallahan’s “personal opinions and do not represent the views of this department.”
The email, which also expressed frustration at “the doxing of officers or their families”, comes after months of protests in Louisville following the death of Breonna Taylor in March.
Taylor was shot by police officers six times and died in her apartment on March 12th while police were conducting a drug raid. The events have resulted in national public outcry for police reform, especially in conjunction with the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in May.
Many called for all three officers involved in the shooting to be charged with Taylor’s death. Last week, the grand jury announced that none of the officers would be charged for her death. One officer, former Sergeant Brett Hankinson, was charged with wanton endangerment.
Lonita Baker, an attorney for Taylor’s family, addressed the email on Friday, rebutting Hallahan’s remarks about “BLM people” washing cars and working at Walmart:
“I want LMPD majors who say that we’re the ones out here washing cars or checking you out at Walmart, no we’re not. We’re lawyers. We’re business people. We’re city employees just like you. And guess what? Even if I was washing your car, it doesn’t matter. I have a right to use my voice.”
Hallahan has announced she will be retiring on October 1st.
