The U.S. Justice Department has found that Minneapolis police engaged in a pattern of violating constitutional rights and discriminating against Black and Native American people.
The findings emerged Friday following an investigation prompted by the killing of George Floyd.
The sweeping two-year civil rights probe concluded that systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department “made what happened to George Floyd possible.” That’s according to a DOJ report.
The investigation found that Minneapolis officers used excessive force, including “unjustified deadly force,” and violated the rights of people engaged in constitutionally protected speech.
“We observed many MPD officers who did their difficult work with professionalism, courage and respect,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told a news conference in Minneapolis. “But the patterns and practices we observed made what happened to George Floyd possible.”
As a result of the investigation, the city and the police department agreed to a deal known as a federal consent decree, which will require reforms to be overseen by an independent monitor and approved by a federal judge. That arrangement is similar to reform efforts in Seattle, New Orleans, Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri.
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AP
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Minnesota Attorney General Ellison today released the following statement reacting to the United States Department of Justice’s two-year investigation into the pattern or practices of the Minneapolis Police Department:
“I’ve always feared that after the convictions of Derek Chauvin and others for the murder of George Floyd, too many people would dismiss that tragedy as an aberration. Now, two separate, independent investigations by state and federal authorities have found very serious and systemic problems that we have to fix. The results of the DOJ investigation are very important because they confirm the State’s result and go beyond.
We now have an independent, court-enforceable structure for creating meaningful, lasting reform that can and must lead to greater safety and greater human rights for all. We can fix this and I’m looking forward to fixing this. I want to thank Attorney General Garland and everyone at the Justice Department for this landmark work and renew my thanks to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights for their investigation and consent decree. I pledge my full support and the support of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office to this effort.”
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