Louisville, Kentucky - The US Department of Justice and the City of Louisville have announced a new policing reform agreement following an investigation into the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

The consent decree, which must be approved by a judge, comes after a federal investigation launched in the aftermath of Taylor's March 2020 killing found the Louisville police had a track record of violating people's constitutional rights and discriminating against Black residents.

"This consent decree marks a new day for Louisville. Our standing together today makes clear that Louisville and the United States share the goals of promoting public safety, ensuring constitutional policing and strengthening trust between community and law enforcement," the DOJ's Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke said in announcing the agreement.

Under the 242-page decree, the city and police department should:

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• revise its use-of-force policies and training
  
• improve its residential search warrant practices
  
• strengthen its responses to and investigations of sexual assault and domestic violence
  
• improve its response to public demonstrations and protests that are critical of policing
  
• improve training, supervision and accountability systems for officers
• provide non-police responses to situations involving behavioral health crises or unhoused people

"At the end of this process, we expect that the Louisville Police Department will be a model police department and a shining example of constitutional policing," Clarke said.

Taylor died after police fired 16 rounds into the 26-year-old's home on a no-knock warrant, a practice now banned in Louisville.

The emergency room technician was asleep with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when police swarmed the home. Walker fired his gun once at the officers, believing the unannounced cops were intruders.

In November, former police detective Brett Hankison was convicted in federal court on one count of civil rights abuse for firing blindly through a bedroom window that had a curtain and blinds drawn.

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Ex-Louisville cop Myles Cosgrove, whose shots are believed to have killed Taylor, was not indicted by a grand jury. He has since been hired by the Carroll County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky.

"We have a history of putting things on paper and not moving the needle, so we have to stay on top of the situation and definitely make sure they are doing what they say they are doing," Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, said after the consent decree announcement, as reported by The Guardian.

Once the consent decree is agreed upon, a federal officer will be appointed to monitor its implementation by the city.