Louisville, Ky. once made ambitious promises to transform its police department and mend its relationship with the Black community. Five years later, Louisville police killed Breonna Taylor in her home, kicking off a protest movement unlike anything the city had seen in decades.
In a joint KyCIR/Newsy investigation, insiders and documents reveal the systemic barriers and choices made by city leaders and the Louisville Metro Police Department that led to its failure to meaningfully change. How did Louisville go from a national leader in policing to an epicenter of the movement for racial justice in the United States? Find out on the second season of Dig.
Dig: The Model City has been awarded a 2021 IRE Award and is a 2021 Peabody Award Nominee.
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Dig Season 1: Prosecution Declined
Dig: Prosecution Declined is the result of the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting’s yearlong look at how rape cases are investigated in Louisville. What we learned: here, the police defer to prosecutors on rape cases — and prosecutors reject the vast majority of cases presented to them.
Due to this unusual relationship, most people accused of rape here will never face consequences. Most won’t be arrested or convicted. And the case will be closed anyway.
Hi, I’m Jasmine Demers, a reporter for KyCIR covering issues related to youth and social services. I’m also a corps member with Report For America, a national program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.