ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A state investigation launched after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer has determined that the department engages in a pattern of race discrimination.
Minnesota’s Department of Human Rights (MDHR) announced the finding of the nearly two-year probe on Wednesday.
MDHR says it found that the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) engages in discriminatory, race-based policing, as evidenced by:
- Racial disparities in how MPD officers use force, stop, search, arrest, and cite people of color, particularly Black individuals, compared to white individuals in similar circumstances.
- MPD officers’ use of covert social media to surveil Black individuals and Black organizations, unrelated to criminal activity.
- MPD officers’ consistent use of racist, misogynistic, and disrespectful language.
MDHR said MPD’s discriminatory practices are caused primarily by the department culture, in which:
- MPD officers, supervisors, and field training officers receive deficient training, which emphasizes a paramilitary approach to policing that results in officers unnecessarily escalating encounters or using inappropriate levels of force.
- Accountability systems are insufficient and ineffective at holding officers accountable for misconduct.
- 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 claims, "Without fundamental organizational culture changes, reforming MPD’s policies, procedures, and trainings will be meaningless."
Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020. Then-Officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin the Black man to the pavement for 9 1/2 minutes.
Chauvin, who is white, was convicted last spring of murder.
Three other officers were convicted this year of violating Floyd’s federal civil rights.