LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville community members are reacting to the news of the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to put a freeze on civil rights litigation and reconsider police reform agreements under President Donald Trump's administration. 

The Justice Department agreed on a consent decree with Louisville Metro Government late last year, coming off a report detailing a pattern of racial discrimination by Louisville's police force. 

“The first thing that went through my mind was, 'Oh, shoot; the Louisville consent decree is in jeopardy. We may not get it,'" said former State Rep. Attica Scott. 

The Trump administration’s new memo said the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division should not finalize any settlements or consent decrees approved prior to Jan. 20, 2025 at 12 p.m. 

“I feel like our community has been deflated," Scott said. "I feel like we’ve had this big balloon that bubbled up from the 2020 protests that’s been almost five years."

"People have continued to work, they’ve taken their protests and turned it into policy advocacy. The consent decree is an example of that. It was filed in December, just a month ago.”

Scott said she wonders, what happens now?

“Do we no longer have policies that are going to push forth because of not having a consent decree? What happens when we have to protest again because of violent policing? Will we be abused again? Will our constitutional rights be violated again and then we have no recourse?” Scott said. 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky also reacted to the news. 

"We're obviously concerned whenever a federal agency decides civil rights should not take a priority or that enforcement of people’s civil rights should be put on pause," said Corey Shapiro, legal director for the ACLU of Kentucky.

“The consent decree lays out how that process could take place, and there’s nothing that would prevent the mayor from moving forward with that.”

In a statement released Thursday, Mayor Craig Greenberg's (D) Office said, "Mayor Greenberg and Chief (Paul) Humphrey remain committed to implementing the reforms set forth in the consent decree we signed with the DOJ. The city is preparing to file a brief in support of the consent decree by February 18, as requested by the judge." 

"Regardless of what happens in federal court, Louisville Metro Government and LMPD will move forward and honor our commitment to meaningful improvements and reforms."