Key takeaways:
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an investigation into the Memphis Police Department for alleged discriminatory policing and civil rights violations.
- The investigation is based on interviews with residents and community members that reported multiple incidents involving police officers.
- The DOJ is also currently investigating the Minneapolis Police Department following the death of George Floyd.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday that it will be conducting an investigation into the Memphis Police Department for alleged discriminatory policing and civil rights violations against its residents. The decision comes in the wake of the high-profile police killing of Tyre Nichols earlier this year.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the department’s civil rights division said that the decision was not based on a single incident or event, but was the result of interviews with residents and community members that reported multiple incidents involving police officers. The DOJ will be conducting a “patterns and practices” review, which is a broader look at how the department handles policing.
The family of Tyre Nichols spoke out after the announcement of the investigation. “This is just the beginning of it all,” said the family in a statement. “We are grateful that the DOJ is taking this step to investigate the Memphis Police Department and we hope that this will lead to real change in the way that Black people are treated in our city.”
The Memphis Police Department has yet to comment on the investigation. The DOJ has not provided a timeline for when the investigation will be complete.
This investigation is the latest in a series of DOJ investigations into police departments across the country. The DOJ is also currently investigating the Minneapolis Police Department following the death of George Floyd.
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