U.S. Justice Department ending probe into Minneapolis Police Department
U.S. Justice Department ending probe into Minneapolis Police Department 00:38
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other officials are reacting after the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would start the process of dismissing a consent decree with the city that ordered expansive reforms to the police department.
Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara planned to address the DOJ's motion at a 10:45 a.m. news conference.
How to watch
What: Minneapolis city officials react to DOJ motion to dismiss federal consent decree
When: 10:45 a.m.
How to watch: You can watch live in the player above, on the CBS News Minnesota or on Pluto TV
The dismissal comes nearly five years to the day since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, part of the impetus for the DOJ's investigation into the city's police department.
The Minneapolis City Council approved the consent decree on Jan. 6 and subsequently filed it in federal court. The 171-page agreement said the Minneapolis Police Department would require its officers to "promote the sanctity of human life as the highest priority in their activities," and must not allow race, gender or ethnicity to "influence any decision to use force, including the amount or type of force used."
The DOJ said the consent decrees proposed by the Biden administration sought to subject the Minneapolis police to sweeping arguments that went beyond accusations of unconstitutional conduct and would have led to "years of micromanagement."
The decree requires law enforcement to meet specific goals before federal oversight is removed, a process that often takes years and millions of dollars. Some of the reforms outlined include changes to the use of force policy, limiting military-style tactics during protests and banning handcuffing children under 14.
A settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which was filed in March of 2023 after the department found the city and Minneapolis police engage in a pattern of racial discrimination in violation of state law, will continue to stand.
WCCO Staff
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