On May 20, fifth 2020.
George Floyd
was killed
at the hands of a law enforcement officer
who was sworn to protect him.
As Mr. Floyd died.
Other officers failed to intervene.
The Justice Department
has since convicted
four former Minneapolis police officers
for their roles
in the death of George Floyd.
As I told George Floyd's family
this morning,
his death has had an irrevocable impact
on the Minneapolis community
and our country and on the world.
His loss is still felt deeply
by those who loved and knew him
and by many who did not.
George Floyd should be alive today.
Shortly after I was sworn in
as attorney general,
I announced that
the Justice Department
had opened a separate civil investigation
into whether the Minneapolis
Police Department, the MPD and the city
of Minneapolis engage
in a pattern or practice
of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.
I am here today
to announce the findings
of that investigation.
I am also announcing
that the Justice Department,
the city of Minneapolis
and the MPD, have agreed in principle
to negotiate towards a consent decree
Since opening the investigation,
the Justice Department has engaged
in a comprehensive review
of MPD policies,
training, supervision
and use of force investigations
A review focused on MPD as a whole,
not on the actions
of any individual officer.
We observed many MPD officers
who did their difficult work
with professionalism,
courage and respect.
But 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 20, fifth, 20, 20
There were instances like that
that were being reported
by the community.
Long before that,
the Department of Justice
has concluded that there is reasonable
cause to believe
that the Minneapolis Police Department
and the city of Minneapolis
engaged in a pattern
or practice of conduct
that violates
the First
and Fourth Amendments
of the United States Constitution.
There is also reasonable cause
to believe that they engage in conduct
that violates
Title six of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, the Safe Streets Act
and the Americans with Disabilities Act
specifically We found that MPD
and the City of Minneapolis engages
in a pattern
or practice of using excessive force,
unlawfully discriminating
against black and Native
American people
in enforcement activities,
violating the rights of people
engaged in protected speech
and discriminating against people
with behavioral disabilities
and responding to them
when responding to them in crisis.
I will discuss each finding
in somewhat greater detail.
First, we found that the Minneapolis
Police Department routinely uses
excessive force, often
when no force is necessary,
including unjust, deadly force
and unreasonable use of Tasers.
MPD officers discharge firearms at people
without assessing
whether the person presents any threat,
let alone a threat
that would justify deadly force.
For example,
in 20,
17 and
MPD officers shot
and killed an unarmed woman
who he said had, quote, spooked him
when she approached his squad car.
The woman had called nine 11 911, sorry
to report a possible sexual assault
in a nearby alley.
We also found that MPD officers
routinely disregard
the safety of people in their custody.
Our review found numerous incidents
in which MPD officers
responded to a person statement
that they could not breathe
with a version of You Can Breathe.
You're talking right now.
We also found that MPD officers
failed to intervene to prevent
unreasonable use of force
by other officers.
Indeed, as outlined in our report,
years before he killed George Floyd,
Derek Chauvin used excessive force
on other occasions in which multiple MPD
officers stood by and did not stop him.
Second,
we found that MPD
unlawfully discriminates
against black
and Native American people
in its enforcement activities,
including the use of force
following stops
based on our review of the data.
MPD officers stop, search and then for
use force
against people who are black
and Native American
at disproportionate rates.
The data showed, for example,
that MPD stopped black
and Native American people
nearly six times
more often
than white people in situations
that did not result in arrest
or citation.
Given their shares of the population,
we found several incidents
in which MPD officers
were not held accountable
for racist conduct
until there was a public outcry.
For example, after MPD officers
stopped a car
carrying four Somali-American teens,
one officer told the teen's quote,
Do you remember what happened in Black
Hawk Down
when we killed a bunch of your folk?
I'm proud of that.
We didn't finish the job over there.
If we had, you guys wouldn't be over here
right now,
as everybody, everyone no doubt knows.
This is a reference
to the 1990
is raid by American Special Forces
in Mogadishu.
Such conduct is deeply disturbing
and it erodes
the community's trust in law enforcement
Third, we found that
MPD violates the rights of people
engaged in protected speech,
including by retaliating
against protesters
as well as members of the press.
For example, on May 30th, 2020
MPD officers encountered
journalists who were sheltering
at a gas station
One officer approached a journalist
who was filming
while holding up his press credentials
and shouting, I'm press.
The officer forcefully
forcefully pushed the journalist's
head to the pavement.
And when the officer
and when the journalist held up his press
credential again
an MPD sergeant pepper
sprayed him in the face and walked away
Fourth, we found that MPD,
along with the city,
discriminates against people
with behavioral health disabilities.
When responding to calls for assistance.
Assistant Attorney General
Clark will discuss these findings
in further detail.
To the credit of MPD and city leaders.
Some important changes
have already been instituted.
Those include prohibiting
all types of neck restraints and banning
No-Knock search warrants.
But as the report outlines,
there is more work to be done
The Justice Department is recommending 28
remedial measures
that provide a starting framework
to improve public safety
build community trust and comply
with the Constitution and federal law.
As I noted at the outset,
in an important step toward reform,
the city of Minneapolis and MPD
have signed an agreement in principle
with the Department of Justice.
This agreement commits the city, and MPD
to work with a Justice Department,
the community, police officers
and other stakeholders
to address the problems
that we have identified
and this agreement commits all parties to
the negotiation
to negotiate a legally
binding consent decree
with an independent monitor.
We are grateful to city and MPD leaders
for their shared commitment
to addressing
these deep seated challenges
I also want to take this opportunity
to address the officers
of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Your profession is essential
the work you do on a daily basis
is extremely difficult
and often very dangerous.
Your responsibilities are enormous
and could not be more important.
You are asked to keep
your community safe,
to uphold the rule of law,
and to ensure equal justice under law.
For you to succeed.
Your police department must provide you
with clear policies
and consistent training
that explain
and reinforce
constitutional boundaries
and responsibilities.
It must give you the support you need
to do your jobs safely and effectively.
And at supervisors and chain of command
must enable you to achieve the highest
professional standards.
This agreement
is an important step forward
toward providing you
with the support and resources
you need to do your job
effectively and lawfully.
And finally,
to the people of Minneapolis.
Thank you for your partnership
throughout our review process
during the investigation
and the Justice Department
met with many community members
and including people
who had had encounters with police,
religious leaders,
advocates, and many others
who want a police department
that serves them better.
We also met with the families of people
who died or suffered grave injuries
during encounters with MPD officers.
Thank you
for sharing your experiences with us.
We could not have completed
this investigation
without your contributions.
Please continue to engage in these issues
in the months ahead.
Your involvement is critical
to our success
and finally
to the career staff of the Civil Rights Division
of the United States
Department of Justice and the U.S.
Attorney's Office
for the District of Columbia
who conducted this investigation.
Thank you for your work,
which will make Minneapolis
a better place for all of its residents.