Sherrard was dismissed for bestowing "medals of exceptional valor" on two white cops, who last May sprayed 22 bullets at 18-year-old Desmond Rudolph, killing him. Despite public outrage, the cops walked free after a grand jury investigation. Rudolph was Black.In response to the cop action, some 800 Louisville residents--organized in part by Armstrong--marched in the streets two days later.

Police blocked downtown traffic in Louisville, left their assigned posts throughout the city, and joined in protest in front of City Hall, demanding that Sherrard be reinstated. Pro-cop forces distributed "Armstrong's Wrong" T-shirts and called for the mayor to be fired, saying he fell to pressures from the Black community. The nine top commanders of the 720-member force attended the rally and threw down their badges. The Cincinnati Post reports that nine top-level officials of the Louisville Police Department have resigned.

Mayor Armstrong's firing of Sherrard, as well as the pro-cop action and the counterprotest, reflect a real polarization in Louisville on the issue of police brutality. Genuine public anger over the cop medals exerted pressure on Armstrong to denounce the awards. Many people joined protests against the killing and exoneration of the cops 10 months ago. The acknowledgment and rejection of rampant police brutality extends beyond the 30 percent of Louisville's citizens who are Black.

Armstrong himself is no campaigner against police brutality. He has been endorsed many times by cop organizations and he hand picked Sherrard as police chief. And when the two cops were freed of all charges in the May 1999 killing, protests fell on deaf ears at City Hall.

Cops have called another street action for March 17--coinciding with a St. Patrick's Day march--where Fraternal Order of Police lodges around the country are reportedly sending representatives to demand Sherrard's reinstatement.

One counterprotester at the March 5 action said, "The [Ku Klux] Klan ought to be excited, because in Louisville, Kentucky, you can kill a Black man and get an award."  
 
 
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