LMPD declares state of emergency ahead of Breonna Taylor decision

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The Louisville Metro Police Department on Monday announced a state of emergency as it prepares for a grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case.

WAVE 3 News obtained a memo sent by LMPD Interim Chief Rob Schroeder, addressed to all personnel, that read in part:

“To ensure we have the appropriate level of staffing to provide for public safety services and our policing functions, effective immediately the LMPD will operate under the emergency staffing and reporting guidelines as outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Reponse Plan and collective bargaining agreements until further notice.”

Earlier Monday, LMPD had canceled all requested off days for officers effective immediately. The decision came after talks among department leaders about their expectations for a possible announcement in the Taylor case being made “soon.”

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The Gene Snyder United States Courthouse will be closed to the public through Friday, September 25, according to an order by Greg Stivers, the chief US District Court judge for Western Kentucky. All scheduled in-court appearances will be continued or converted to videoconference proceedings at the discretion of the presiding judge, the order says.

The courthouse's windows were boarded up on Monday.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services field office in Louisville will also be closed during that period "due to a court order." Neither facility provided additional details for the closures.

The closures come as a grand jury has been empaneled in Louisville, and sources have told CNN that it will at some point take up Taylor's case.

Louisville Metro Police Department interim Chief Robert Schroeder has declared a state of emergency for the department. The declaration allows the department to operate under emergency staffing and reporting protocols such as canceling off-day requests.

"The public may also see barriers being staged around downtown, which is another part of our preparations," police spokesman Sgt. Lamont Washington said.

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