Former Officer Involved in Breonna Taylor Shooting Hired by Kentucky Sheriff’s Office
Myles Cosgrove, one of the Louisville Metro Police officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor in 2020, has been hired by the Carroll County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky.[0] Cosgrove was one of three officers who fired their weapons during the raid of Taylor's apartment on March 13, 2020, which resulted in her death.[1] While Taylor and her partner Kenneth Walker were sleeping, officers from LMPD tried to execute a search warrant as part of a drug investigation.[2] Having believed that an intruder was attempting to break in, Walker discharged one shot which struck an officer.[1] According to the investigation carried out by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Cosgrove fired the fatal shot in response to officers returning fire.[1]
Cosgrove was fired by the Louisville Metro Police Department in January 2021 for violating departmental policy relating to Taylor's killing, which included failing to use a body camera while executing the no-knock warrant.[3] Although Cosgrove has been terminated, he has not been charged with any criminal offenses in connection to the homicide.[2] Attorney General Cameron said his investigation also found that Cosgrove was justified in returning gunfire after he and the other officers were fired upon by Walker, who was later cleared of charges.[2]
Last November, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council voted not to revoke Cosgrove's state peace officer certification, which meant he could apply for other law enforcement jobs in the state.[4] The Carroll County Sheriff's Office did a background check on Cosgrove, which he passed, according to Chief Deputy Rob Miller.[5] Miller also addressed the lack of legal charges against Cosgrove when justifying his hiring to the Courier-Journal, saying his nearly two decades of police experience and investigative skills made him a good candidate for the job.[5]
The decision to hire Cosgrove has sparked protests and backlash from the community, including Breonna Taylor's family and their attorney, Sam Aguiar, who called the hiring “disgusting.”[6] Protesters gathered in Carrollton, the county seat of Carroll County, to stand against the decision, expressing disappointment and disgust that the officer who fired the fatal bullet in the botched raid was hired by a sheriff's office only 50 miles away from Louisville.[0]
Cosgrove's attorney, Scott Miller, said his client was a scapegoat for the shooting death of Taylor and was cleared by both state and federal grand juries.[7] Miller added that Cosgrove's actions that night were what police officers are trained to react to when they're fired upon and provided expert testimony that said he acquired sufficient target identification and target isolation. However, critics argue that the decision to hire him sends the wrong message and undermines efforts to hold police accountable for their actions.
The controversy surrounding Cosgrove's hiring highlights the ongoing debate over police reform and accountability in the US. While some argue that officers should not face consequences for their actions if they were justified in the line of duty, others believe that accountability and transparency are necessary to prevent future tragedies like the death of Breonna Taylor. As the country continues to grapple with issues of racial justice and policing, the hiring of Myles Cosgrove serves as a reminder that there is still much work to be done to ensure justice and equality for all.
0. “Officer who fired fatal shot in Breonna Taylor botched raid hired by a nearby county sheriffs office” CNN, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/24/us/breonna-taylor-officer-hired/index.html
1. “Myles Cosgrove, Louisville officer who killed Breonna Taylor, hired by Kentucky sheriff's office” USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/04/24/breonna-taylor-myles-cosgrove-louisville-officer-hired/11727355002
2. “Myles Cosgrove, officer who killed Breonna Taylor, hired by Carroll County Sheriff's Department” Yahoo! Voices, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/news/myles-cosgrove-officer-killed-breonna-192130444.html
3. “Ex-Louisville Officer Who Fatally Shot Breonna Taylor Begins New Law Enforcement Job” Forbes, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/04/24/ex-louisville-officer-who-fatally-shot-breonna-taylor-begins-new-law-enforcement-job
4. “Protest planned in Carroll County after sheriff's office hires Myles Cosgrove” WHAS11.com, 22 Apr. 2023, https://www.whas11.com/article/news/local/carroll-county-sheriffs-office-myles-cosgrove-protest-breonna-taylor-kentucky/417-63dd2374-0bfd-47d9-8d2e-74c1e39d9f23
5. “Police officer who shot and killed Breonna Taylor during a botched drug raid is hired by another police department” msnNOW, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/police-officer-who-shot-and-killed-breonna-taylor-during-a-botched-drug-raid-is-hired-by-another-police-department/ar-AA1ag8fR
6. “Ex-LMPD officer who fired shots that killed Breonna Taylor hired by another police department” WLKY Louisville, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.wlky.com/article/hired-carroll-county-sheriff-kentucky-louisville-breonna-taylor-myles-cosgrove/43675237
7. “Officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor hired by a nearby county sheriffs office” KOMU 8, 24 Apr. 2023, https://www.komu.com/news/nationworld/officer-who-fatally-shot-breonna-taylor-hired-by-a-nearby-county-sheriffs-office/article_8fe8a8f3-337c-5672-8bf9-86aa7cbb11bb.html
