LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville police officer who shot the bullet that killed Breonna Taylor in March 2020 is back working in law enforcement.
Myles Cosgrove, who was fired by the Louisville Metro Police Department in January 2021, has been hired by the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Chief Deputy Rob Miller told The Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Saturday.
The county is about an hour northeast of downtown Louisville and has a population of around 10,000.
Cosgrove was one of three officers who fired their weapons during a raid of Taylor's apartment March 13, 2020. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep when LMPD officers attempted to serve a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation. Walker, who has said he thought an intruder was breaking in, fired a single shot that hit an officer. Officers returned fire, with Cosgrove firing the fatal bullet, according to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's investigation.
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Cosgrove fired from Louisville police; no charges filed
Cosgrove was fired in January 2021 for violating use-of-force procedures and failing to use a body camera during the raid. He fired his gun 16 times. He filed a lawsuit appealing his termination, but a judge ruled in favor of the department's decision earlier this year.
Despite his termination, Cosgrove has not faced any criminal charges related to the killing. 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. One officer was shot in the thigh, which required surgery.
Federal charges have been filed against four officers who were involved in the raid at Taylor's home – three accused of lying in order to obtain the search warrant and a fourth who fired bullets into Taylor's neighbors' home.
Sheriff's office cites lack of charges for hiring
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the federal grand jury also didn't indict Cosgrove because "the officers who ultimately carried out the search at Taylor's apartment were not involved in the drafting of the warrant and were unaware of the false and misleading statements that it contained."
Carroll County's Chief Deputy Miller pointed to this fact in reference to Cosgrove's hiring.
The sheriff's office did a background check on Cosgrove, which he passed, Miller said. He said the federal and state investigation did not lead to charges against Cosgrove and he has nearly two decades of police experience.
"We think he will help reduce the flow of drugs in our area and reduce property crimes," he said. "We felt like he was a good candidate to help us in our county."
Cosgrove worked in LMPD's 8th, 4th and 6th divisions before transferring to narcotics in 2016.
His LMPD personnel file includes commendations for his handling of a dangerous situation with someone in crisis and his involvement in training division graduation ceremonies.
But it also includes disciplinary actions for poor court attendance and violating "courtesy" policies.
Former police Chief Robert White wrote in a 2009 letter that Cosgrove "failed to exercise patience and diplomacy when dealing with a member of the public," garnering him a letter of reprimand.
Before that, Cosgrove was sued for excessive force by a man he shot in 2006 at a Speedway gas station in Louisville, records show. A federal judge sided with Cosgrove in the case, according to court records.
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