Ex-Cop Katie R. Crews Cops Plea in Pepperball Excessive Force Case

Former Louisville Metro Police Officer Katie R. Crews, 29, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, is off the force and on probation after admitting she shot a civilian with a pepperball while the victim stood on private property and posed no threat. Crews was sentenced to two years of probation, 200 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine for the federal civil rights violation.

The incident occurred on or about June 1, 2020, during a period of heightened scrutiny over police conduct nationwide. Crews, then sworn to protect and serve, instead crossed the line—firing the irritant projectile without justification. She pleaded guilty in October 2022 to one misdemeanor count of using unreasonable force, a rare but critical accountability measure in police misconduct cases.

As part of her plea agreement, Crews is no longer employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department and has permanently forfeited her Kentucky law enforcement certification. The deal strips her of the badge and any future ability to serve as a peace officer in the state—a symbolic and practical consequence for abusing power under color of law.

“This former Louisville police officer abused her authority as a law enforcement officer and violated the victim’s civil rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence makes clear that law enforcement officials are not above the law.”

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky echoed the sentiment, vowing continued vigilance: “As in this case, our office will work diligently with our federal and local law enforcement partners to ensure the citizens of the Western District are protected from the use of excessive force by officers sworn to protect them.”

The FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit jointly investigated the case through the Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force. Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory and Civil Rights Trial Attorney Anita Channapati. The outcome stands as a stark reminder: when cops become the criminals, justice must still run its course.