Washington — A comprehensive federal review conducted over several years has revealed that the Minneapolis Police Department exhibits a disproportionate focus on targeting Black and Native American communities in its law enforcement activities, often employing excessive force. The investigation was initiated following the tragic killing of George Floyd.
The recently released report by the Justice Department states that “The City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland, alongside Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Police Chief Brian O’Hara, announced the findings of the investigation on Friday in Minneapolis.
“As I told George Floyd’s family this morning, his death has had an irrevocable impact on the Minneapolis community, on our country, and the world,” said Garland.
The civil investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department began in April 2021, subsequent to the murder conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in Floyd’s death.
The purpose of the extensive review was to determine whether the Minneapolis Police Department habitually engages in unconstitutional or unlawful policing practices. This inquiry was separate from the federal criminal probe into Floyd’s death, which led to the convictions of three Minneapolis police officers. They were found culpable for failing to intervene in Chauvin’s use of excessive force against Floyd, thus infringing on Floyd’s constitutional right to be free from such treatment. Chauvin also pleaded guilty to federal charges related to depriving Floyd of his civil rights.
The federal investigation included activities such as police ride-alongs, discussions with over two thousand community members, and numerous interviews with officers. It encompassed the entire Minneapolis police force. The resulting report acknowledges that the city has already made some efforts to reform its practices, including the prohibition of neck restraints and “no-knock” warrants, the restriction of certain crowd-control measures, and the establishment of a behavioral health response program.
However, the report recommends nearly 30 remedial measures and improvements to address racial disparities and the excessive use of force within the department. These measures include enhanced training and accountability measures, as well as improved data collection on police activity.
According to the findings of the Justice Department, the Minneapolis Police Department disproportionately stops and employs force against Black and Native American individuals. The department also patrols neighborhoods differently based on their racial composition.
The investigation revealed that Black people in Minneapolis experience 24% more uses of force, 22% more searches, and 37% more vehicle searches compared to White people in similar circumstances. Additionally, the department uses force against Black and Native American individuals at rates 9 times and 13.9 times higher than those against White individuals, respectively.
The report alleges that the Minneapolis Police Department has inadequately addressed racial disparities and officers’ failure to document race-related data during stops, despite being previously alerted to these issues. The excessive and unlawful use of force by the police throughout the city, even in situations unrelated to race, is also criticized in the report.
Another area of concern highlighted in the report is the unreasonable use of tasers and chemical irritants, as well as the unnecessary application of force against individuals who are already restrained, including young adolescents.
The investigation was initiated following the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Under the Obama administration, federal investigations of police departments frequently utilized consent decrees as a means of addressing civil rights issues and ensuring accountability in law enforcement. However, their use was restricted during the Trump administration. Attorney General Garland restored the use of consent decrees when launching the investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.
On Friday, Minneapolis and the Justice Department reached an agreement in principle to establish a court-authorized consent decree that formalizes the federal findings and recommendations. The agreement also appoints an independent monitor to oversee the department.
“An enormous and important task lies ahead, and we want this community to hear us clearly,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We stand with you at every stage of the process that lies ahead.”
The report also emphasizes the need for improvement in the cultural and training environment of the Minneapolis Police Department. Practices such as de-escalation tactics and accountability measures are described as “poor” and in need of rectification.
“This is truly about trying to change the culture around policing…so we have a culture that our officers intentionally try to earn people’s trust in every interaction,” stated Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
Since 2016, the only officers disciplined for failing to intervene inappropriately were those who failed to stop Derek Chauvin from using excessive force on George Floyd. The investigation found that no other officer was held accountable for violating someone’s constitutional rights during that period. Furthermore, the review of the department’s conduct review process revealed that over a quarter of reported officer misconduct cases went unresolved after two years.
The Justice Department also alleges that the Minneapolis Police Department unlawfully retaliated against members of the press and protesters, and failed to appropriately respond to individuals experiencing mental health crises.
Addressing members of the Minneapolis police force, Garland said, “Your profession is essential… You are asked to keep your community safe, to uphold the rule of law, and to ensure equal justice under law. This agreement is an important step forward in providing you with the support and resources you need to do your job effectively and lawfully.”
Clare Hymes contributed reporting.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
