St. Paul, MN- In yet another cruel act by the Trump administration, the Department of Justice seeks to dismiss the Minneapolis consent decree days before the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. The consent decree, which was established following extensive federal investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department's (MPD) patterns and practices after the murder of George Floyd, represented a binding commitment to necessary structural reforms aimed at addressing systemic human rights abuse by the Minneapolis Police Department.
In the wake of President Trump's Department of Justice requesting the dismissal of the consent decree that mandated comprehensive reforms for the Minneapolis Police Department, the House DFL United Black Legislators Caucus and People of Color and Indigenous released the following statement:
“We are disappointed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to remove its support for the federal consent decree with the City of Minneapolis. The reasoning, that there is no longer a public interest need, is short sighted and dismisses the violent and discriminatory history of the Minneapolis Police Department. This attempt to dismantle critical police accountability measures sends a dangerous message that meaningful reform is optional rather than essential. The consent decree was never about politics—it was about ensuring constitutional policing and rebuilding community trust that has been fractured for generations.
“Thankfully, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights will continue with its oversight agreement with the City of Minneapolis to continue transformational changes to address race-based policing by the MPD. We look forward to the efforts from the state’s agreements to pursue reform that creates a police department that is focused on safety and can be held accountable for violations of civil rights law.”
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