Maj. Bridget Hallahan has been relieved of command of the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Fifth Division two days after the Louisville Courier Journal reported that the major had insulted protesters in an August email to other officers.
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder made the announcement Friday. Schroeder also said that Hallahan is expected to retire from the department on October 1.
According to Courier Journal, Hallahan’s email read, in part, “These ANTIFA and BLM people, especially the ones who just jumped on the bandwagon ‘yesterday’ because they became ‘woke’ (insert eye roll here), do not deserve a second glance or thought from us.”
“Our little pinky toenails have more character, morals, and ethics, than these punks have in their entire body… Do not respond to them. If we do, we only validate what they did,” the email continued, according to the newspaper. “Don’t make them important, because they are not. They will be the ones washing our cars, cashing us out at the Walmart, or living in their parents’ basement playing COD for their entire life.”
CNN has been unable to independently verify the contents of the email.
Schroeder said Friday that the department was aware of Hallahan’s correspondence.
“They were her personal opinions and do not represent the views of this department,” he said.
“Major Hallahan has accepted responsibility for her emails, and is retiring from the department effective October 1.”
Department spokesman Dwight Mitchell declined to comment on whether Hallahan’s upcoming retirement was related to her removal from command.
Hallahan did not immediately respond to questions regarding the email, her loss of command, nor her retirement.
Lonita Baker, an attorney for Breonna Taylor’s family, responded angrily to Hallahan’s comments Friday.
“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.” Baker said during a press conference at Louisville’s Jefferson Square Park. “We’re lawyers. We’re businesspeople. We’re city employees just like you.”
“And guess what,” she added, “even if I was washing your car, it doesn’t matter, I have a right to use my voice.”
Protests have been ongoing in Louisville and across the nation following the killing of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black emergency room technician and aspiring nurse who was shot to death during a police raid on her apartment in March.
The protests have grown in size this week after Wednesday’s announcement that only one officer involved in the March raid had been indicted.
That officer was indicted on charges of wanton endangerment. Two officers were shot during protests Wednesday night. They suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
