LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- WDRB spoke with Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer to follow up on the Breonna Taylor case following the firing of Detective Brett Hankison and other key topics around Louisville.
During the June 24 interview, when the mayor was asked if actions would be taken against the other two officers involved in the raid that resulted in Breonna Taylor's death, Myles Cosgrove and John Mattingly, he was unable to comment. He said the case is now being evaluated by Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Fischer said the LMPD Union has a six-month extension through the end of 2020 and the city is looking into contracts with the Fraternal Order of Police. Fischer says he senses a 'spirit of camaraderie' around the country to move on these contracts and hopes the FOP will be involved in that process.
"Our police officers also want to make sure that people understand that the contract with them is a contract that protects the people that certainly respects police officers' rights as well," Fischer said.
When asked about the current state of downtown Louisville following recent looting and vandalism, Mayor Fischer said he hopes to see peaceful protesting help reopen damaged businesses.
"As things continue to move forward peacefully, which they are for the most part, I would think people would start taking boards down and that certainly would be a welcome sign for me and others in the downtown area as well," Fischer said.
As Jefferson Square Park remains the center of the protests, Fischer encourages groups to continue to do so peacefully. He says law enforcement will take 'appropriate action' if protests do not remain peaceful.
Many people wonder how the camps being set up by protesters in the park differ from homeless camps that are regularly cleaned up around the city.
"The purposes of moving a homeless camp, traditionally, is public health reasons and then trying to move folks into homeless shelters. There's a different purpose behind the tents and the camping at Jefferson Square Park," Fischer said.
"You have to take a look at what is the reaction to moving those tents out? Is that going to heighten tensions or is it just going to go away? In our judgment, the protest is just not gonna go away, and it could come back in even more intensified manners, so you've gotta use judgment as you approach each one of these."
On a different subject, Lynn Family Stadium will be able to hold fans at 50 percent capacity when Louisville City FC's season kicks off in July. Fans are wondering if this means the Kentucky Derby may allow fans in September.
Fischer responded: "I would think so in some kind of ways. I mean, obviously there's lots of discussions about that."
He continued: "But as we look around the country right now, everybody is seeing a lot of these states that did not take the early actions that we did are having significant, significant problems with the pandemic and hospitals being overrun now in reports from Texas and other states. So, we've gotta maintain vigilance here, especially with wearing our face coverings, that's showing to do a really good job."
Fischer also stressed the importance of social distancing, reminding people that there is a higher capacity of spreading the virus indoors.
When it comes to concerns about schools reopening in the fall, the mayor expects some form of hybrid classes between in-person and online learning for JCPS. He says schools will have to be flexible as they work to keep the virus in check and science will dictate the next steps.
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