January 31, 2023 - Katie R. Crews, 29, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was sentenced to two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine for violating an individual’s rights by using excessive force while acting as a police officer for the Louisville Metro Police Department.

In October 2022, Crews admitted during a plea hearing that on or about June 1, 2020, while acting as a police officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department, she shot an individual with a pepperball even though the individual was standing on private property and not posing a threat to the defendant or others. Crews pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count for using unreasonable force. As part of the plea agreement, Crews is no longer an officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department and has forfeited her Kentucky law enforcement certification.

“This former Louisville police officer abused her authority as a law enforcement officer and violated the victim’s civil rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence makes clear that law enforcement officials are not above the law. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute law enforcement officials who violate our federal civil rights laws and defy the public trust by using excessive force.”

“As in this case, our office will work diligently with our federal and local law enforcement partners to ensure the citizens of the Western District are protected from the use of excessive force by officers sworn to protect them,” said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky.

Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Bennett and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky and Civil Rights Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

Source: DOJ Release