Judge dismisses lawsuit over no-knock warrant ban in Kentucky city

Published 9:50 pm Tuesday, November 23, 2021

A judge has ruled against a police union in a lawsuit that sought to stop a ban on no-knock warrants in Kentucky’s second-largest city.

A Fayette County judge agreed on Friday to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the local police union, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

The Fraternal Order of Police Bluegrass Lodge No. 4 filed suit in July against the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government over the no-knock warrant ban it enacted following months of debate after Breonna Taylor was killed by police in Louisville during a raid at her apartment.

The union said in the lawsuit that banning the warrants is unsafe and the organization has the right to bargain on behalf of Lexington officers over changes that affect officers’ “health and safety.”

Circuit Judge Kimberly Bunnell said elected officials had the right to enact public policies without bargaining.

The FOP may appeal the decision, local representative said.