ST. PAUL – This morning, United States Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the results of a two-year extensive investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) — the report found that MPD has engaged in a "pattern or practice" of using excessive force, discriminating against Black and Indigenous people, mistreating mentally ill individuals, and violating the First and Fourth Amendment rights of protesters among other federal laws.
Attorney General Garland additionally announced the Department of Justice, the city of Minneapolis, and MPD have agreed to enter a consent decree where the entities would agree to reform measures enforced by a federal court and monitored by an independent body.
The Minnesota House People of Color and Indigenous Caucus issued the following statement,
“The Department of Justice's report on the Minneapolis Police Department’s troubling conduct is a significant step forward in the effort to address systemic racism and police brutality in our country. The report's findings are distressing and underscore the need for immediate and comprehensive changes in the Minneapolis Police Department.
We are not surprised by the outcome of the investigation as these are consistent with the experiences of many Black and Indigenous people in Minneapolis. Community members have long reported the harassment, discrimination, and violence at the hands of the police. The DOJ’s report is a call to action for the city of Minneapolis and the entire country. All communities deserve to feel safe from the people sworn to protect them.
It is essential we seize this opportunity to change the culture and system of policing in our state and our country.
The report includes substantial evidence that MPD has systematically violated the rights of Minneapolis residents by using excessive force, engaging in racial and disability discrimination, and interfering with their rights to exercise their First Amendment-protected activities. Investigators also found that MPD has a culture of impunity, in which officers are rarely held accountable for their misconduct. It is time for the abuse to stop.”
The House POCI Caucus is comprised of; Co-Chair Rep. Esther Agbaje (59B), Co-Chair Rep. Cedrick Frazier (43A), Vice Chair Rep. Alicia Kozlowski (08B), Rep. Jamie, Becker-Finn (40B), Rep. Ethan Cha (47B), Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (53A), Rep. Aisha Gomez (62A), Rep. Hodan Hassan (62B), Kaohly Vang Her (64A), Rep. Athena Hollins (66B), Rep. Samakab Hussein (65A), Rep. Heather Keeler (04A), Rep. Fue Lee (59A), Rep. Liz Lee (67A), Rep. Mohamud Noor (60B), Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega (65B), Rep. Ruth Richardson (52B), Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (63A), Rep. Samantha Vang (38B), and Rep. Jay Xiong (67B).