LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In a unanimous vote Thursday, Louisville Metro Council passed 'Breonna's Law,' to ban no-knock warrants in Jefferson County.

What You Need To Know


  • Breonna's Law passes

  • No-knock warrants no longer permitted in Jefferson County
  • Officers serving warrants must knock, wear body cams, and wait 15 seconds

The new ordinance is named after Breonna Taylor, the EMT killed in her apartment during a police raid in which officers used a no-knock warrant to force into her home.

The new ordinance completely bans the type of warrant by officers in Jefferson County and requires body cameras to be used during all search warrants, with disciplinary action taken on officers for violating this. Under the new ordinance, an officer serving a warrant must knock and announce the police presence before entering and allow 15 seconds or a "reasonable" amount of time for the resident to respond- whichever is longer. 

Council applauded the vote to pass Breonna's Law on Thursday after the roll call was complete. Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, addressed the council beside her attorneys. Palmer told them the ordinance will allow her daughter to continue to save peoples' lives even after her death.