A 22-year-old former Louisville Metro Police officer is facing criminal charges after prosecutors say he used his access to police databases to tip off a family member who was a person of interest in an active investigation. Brennan Keen, who was fired from the department in July, is accused of running searches meant to protect his relative from being caught.
According to court records cited by the Louisville Courier Journal, Keen allegedly used police resources to intentionally hinder an investigation or prosecution against the family member. Keen is charged with official misconduct in the first degree and unlawful access to a computer in the fourth degree, and the alleged conduct took place June 14-15, 2026. He is scheduled for arraignment on October 8, 2026, and online court records list no attorney for him as of publication.
How the Alleged Tip-Off Unfolded
Court summons records obtained by WDRB describe a pattern of alleged warnings. Keen reportedly received a be-on-the-lookout alert involving his cousin, then disclosed that police knew the vehicle's information. According to court records, the relative swapped the vehicle for a new one, and Keen allegedly notified him again once that new vehicle was entered into police tracking systems, telling him that police knew the vehicle's information and were actively tracking it. Keen also ran the relative's name through the National Crime Information Center database to check for active warrants, according to court records, and the family member had been identified as a person of interest in an ongoing investigation.
LMPD spokesperson Sgt. Matthew Sanders said the charges are not related to the department's use of Flock Safety, the automated license plate reader system LMPD relies on to detect stolen vehicles and wanted persons. The department did not respond to questions about when Keen joined the force, per the Courier Journal's reporting.
A Brief, Complicated Tenure
Keen was a probationary officer, and Louisville Metro Police Merit Board records show he was officially dismissed effective July 20, 2026, for violating Standard Operating Procedure 5.1.9 regarding police business. He had earned nearly $52,000 so far in 2026 before his firing. Departmental records also document aspects of Keen's tenure in 2026.
Keen's path to policing is part of his background.
What the Charges Could Mean
Official misconduct in the first degree is punishable by up to 12 months in jail if Keen is convicted. The charge is official misconduct in the first degree. Unlawful access to a computer in the fourth degree carries a maximum sentence of 90 days.
Part of a Larger Pattern at LMPD
Keen's case involves alleged internal misconduct at LMPD. The department's internal cases have received coverage from WHAS11.
The wave of cases comes amid continued attention to the department's record. A U.S. Department of Justice investigation found that LMPD engaged in a pattern of constitutional violations and improper conduct, a finding that followed the 2020 fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor. Louisville has undertaken reforms, according to WHYY. Hoodline has previously covered other former LMPD officers facing criminal charges, including one who pleaded not guilty in a shooting, and a lieutenant who fought suspension over a chokehold case before the department's Merit Board.
The available account identifies Keen's cousin as a person of interest in the underlying investigation. Keen's arraignment is scheduled for October 8, 2026.
