Major who reportedly pressured Breonna Taylor investigators reassigned

Kim Burbrink oversaw the unit of officers that conducted the ill-fated raid on Taylor's home.

The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department major who oversaw the unit of officers that conducted the raid on the home of Breonna Taylor has been reassigned. 

Major Kim Burbrink was the commander of the Criminal Interdiction Division. She has been placed on “administrative reassignment.” 

Major Kim Burbrink (above), the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department official who oversaw the unit of officers
that conducted the raid on Breonna Taylor’s home, has been reassigned.

“Monday morning, Major Kim Burbrink was administratively reassigned based on (the) chief’s initiated professional standards investigation,” according to a statement from the LMPD. “We cannot discuss the details of this investigation. Lt. D. Thompson will be serving as the acting commander of the Criminal Interdiction Division in Major Burbrink’s absence.”

Earlier this month, a Public Integrity Unit file summary exposed many breaches of police protocol and issues with the investigation into Taylor’s death. 

Read More: Juror in Breonna Taylor case granted right to speak publicly

According to WLKY, there are at least five paragraphs of the 12-page report that detail ways Burbrink “inserted herself into the investigation.” Burbrink repeatedly asked questions about the probe and questioned investigators when they found that Officer Brett Hankison had inconsistencies in his story about the fateful night. 

The report calls Burbrink’s behavior in a meeting a “cross-examination of the investigation.”

Read More: Something is fishy about Daniel Cameron and the Breonna Taylor case

One investigator, Jason Vance, said that Burbrink attended briefings on the case despite objections from the Public Integrity Unit. 

Louisville Deputy Chief Rob Schroeder, who was named interim chief and later retired, publicly apologized twice for Burbrink’s actions. 

Burbrink has been with the department since 2002. 

Read More: Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker sit-down interview with Gayle King: ‘They took her’

In her official bio on the department’s website, it is noted that Burbrink worked her way up from patrol officer to detective, then sergeant. She later became a lieutenant and a major. She previously worked in the Narcotics Street Enforcement Platoon and also served on the Hostage Negotiations Team for five years. 

The professional standards investigation into the March shooting death of 26-year-old Taylor by Louisville officers serving a no-knock warrant was initiated by interim Chief Yvette Gentry. The investigation is ongoing. 

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.today!

SHARE THIS ARTICLE