Civil Rights Investigations Into Local Police Departments Pulled By Justice Department

The U.S. Department of Justice announced it is dismissing lawsuits against police departments in Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis and ending multiple ongoing investigations into unconstitutional policing practices across the country. The move marks a sharp policy shift under the leadership of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, a Trump appointee now heading the Civil Rights Division. These changes reflect a broader retreat from federal oversight of policing that began during the Trump administration and is now intensifying.

The lawsuits, filed during the Biden administration, followed detailed federal investigations that found both departments routinely engaged in excessive force, racial discrimination, and violations of free speech. Former Attorney General Merrick Garland previously stated that these systemic failures "made what happened to George Floyd possible."

Pattern and practice investigations are designed to target deep-rooted cultural and policy issues within police departments rather than isolated incidents. However, Dhillon criticized these federal interventions, claiming they stripped communities of their power. "Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control of policing...turning that power over to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats," Dhillon said, adding that the DOJ was "ending the Biden Civil Rights Division's failed experiment."

Kristen Clarke, who led the division under Biden, defended the investigations, stating, "These investigations were led by career attorneys, based on data, body camera footage and information provided by officers themselves."

The Justice Department also confirmed that it will end other investigations into departments in Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City, and the Louisiana State Police.

Despite the dismissal, local officials in Louisville and Minneapolis pledged to continue with policing reforms. "We are moving ahead rapidly to continue implementing police reform," said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. In Minnesota, Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero emphasized the state's commitment: "While the Department of Justice walks away… our Department and the state court consent decree isn't going anywhere."

The rollback echoes earlier decisions made during Trump's first term, when federal oversight efforts were scaled back in cities like Chicago and Ferguson.

Link: NBCNews