MINNEAPOLIS – The Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of racial discrimination in violation of the state's civil rights law, according to a scathing report published Wednesday morning by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
In a two-year investigation, the human rights department found racial disparities in how Minneapolis police officers "use force, stop, search, arrest, and cite people of color, particularly Black individuals, compared to white individuals in similar circumstances," according to findings in the 72-page report.
The report also cited officers use of "covert social media to surveil Black individuals and Black organizations, unrelated to criminal activity" and "consistent use of racist, misogynistic, and disrespectful language."
"Former and current City and MPD leaders have not collectively acted with the urgency, coordination, and intentionality necessary to address racial disparities in policing to improve public safety and increase community trust," the report states. "Without fundamental organizational culture changes, reforming MPD's policies, procedures, and trainings will be meaningless."
The department opened the investigation on June 1, 2020, days after former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, setting into motion a process that Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said would result in systemic change.
In a statement Wednesday ahead of a press conference, Lucero said: "Race-based policing is unlawful and harms everyone, especially people of color and Indigenous community members – sometimes costing community members their lives. I look forward to the work ahead with the City, MPD, and community members to improve public safety by reversing unlawful policing practices."
The human rights department will work with Minneapolis public officials to develop a consent decree, which is a court-enforceable agreement that identifies specific changes to be made and timelines for those changes to occur, said the agency in a statement. The department will meet with community members, Minneapolis officers, city staff and others stakeholders to gather feedback on what should be included in a consent decree.
Since Lucero announced the investigation in 2020, four Minneapolis police officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of crimes in connection to Floyd's killing. Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter a year ago, and pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations in December. A federal jury found J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao guilty of using the color of the law to violate Floyd's civil rights, causing his death, earlier this year. All three face another trial scheduled to begin in June for charges of aiding and abetting murder.
In addition to the state's investigation, the Justice Department is also engaged in a probe of whether Minneapolis police have engaged in a pattern and practice of illegal behavior.
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