DOJ investigation reveals patterns of abuse and discrimination by Minneapolis police

Amna Nawaz:

Good evening, and welcome to the "NewsHour."

The Minneapolis Police Department repeatedly used excessive and unjustified deadly force against city residents. That was the conclusion of a major investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The findings documented longstanding patterns of abuse and discrimination against Black and indigenous citizens.

Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro has the story from Minneapolis.

Fred de Sam Lazaro:

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the findings of the two-year-long investigation today, and he said problems in the department began well before George Floyd's murder.

Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General:

The patterns and practices we observed made what happened to George Floyd possible. As one city leader told us — quote — "These systemic issues didn't just occur on May 25, 2020." There were instances like that that were being reported by the community long before that.

Fred de Sam Lazaro:

The federal civil rights investigation began after former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd. Floyd's death in 2020 was captured on cell phone video, which sparked protests globally and calls for policing reform.

Among the federal government's key findings, the Minneapolis Police Department engaged in excessive use of force, including deadly force against Black and indigenous people, unlawful discriminatory policing against those groups, as well as individuals with behavioral health disabilities, and repeated violations of the first and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution, including restraining and beating protesters and retaliating against journalists.

Garland detailed some examples of the worst offenses his team found.

Merrick Garland:

MPD officers discharged firearms at people without assessing whether the person presents any threat, let alone a threat that would justify deadly force.

For example, in 2017, an MPD officers shot and killed an unarmed woman who he said had — quote — "spooked him" when she approached his squad car. A review found numerous incidents in which MPD officers responded to a person's statement that they could not breathe with the version of: "You can breathe. You're talking right now."

Fred de Sam Lazaro:

The report found officers stopped Black people six-and-a-half times more often than whites and stopped Native Americans at nearly eight times the rate of whites.

The report also found racial disparities in traffic stops and use of force.

Kristen Clarke, Assistant U.S. Attorney General:

MPD also uses force against — uses force during stops involving Black and Native American people more frequently than they do during stops involving white people, even when they behave in similar ways.

Fred de Sam Lazaro:

From January 2016 to August 2022, three-quarters of the Minneapolis Police Department's reported uses of force — quote — "did not involve an associated violent offense or a weapons offense" — unquote.

Mayor Jacob Frey acknowledged there was much work to do, but applauded reforms already in place, including new policies that prohibit neck restraints and no-knock warrants.

Jacob Frey (D), Mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota: Now, we haven't been just waiting and sitting on our hands to see through change. We wholeheartedly shifted our form of government. We hired a new commissioner, a new police chief, a new city attorney.

We're doubling down on violence prevention work even further, and we want to extend and enhance safety beyond policing.

Fred de Sam Lazaro:

Earlier this year, the state reached a settlement with Minneapolis after its own investigation by the Department of Human Rights found similar widespread abuses and a lack of accountability.

The Justice Department said it expects a consent decree to enforce new protections and rules against abuse and excessive use of force to be negotiated within the next several months.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Fred de Sam Lazaro.