Minneapolis Police Accused of Rights Violations, Risky Tactics by Justice Department.

Following an investigation prompted by the death of George Floyd, the Justice Department accused the Minneapolis police on Friday of a consistent pattern of violating constitutional rights, discrimination against minorities, and “excessive” and “unjustified deadly force” in policing.

The sweeping civil rights investigation was conducted over a span of two years by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Minnesota Civil Division.

The probe culminated in a report, released Friday, that accused the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) of a pattern of violating civil rights, discrimination, and heavy-handed policing tactics.

“To be sure, many MPD officers do their difficult work with professionalism, courage, and respect,” the report’s executive summary reads. “Nevertheless, our investigation found that the systemic problems in MPD made what happened to George Floyd possible.”

The probe was launched in April 2021, a day after former officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in the May 25, 2020, death of Floyd.

Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe before going limp as Chauvin knelt on his neck for over 9 minutes. The incident was recorded by a bystander and sparked months of mass protests.

In the wake of the report’s findings, the City of Minneapolis and the MPD have both agreed to a deal known as a federal consent decree, which will require reforms to be overseen by an independent monitor and approved by a federal judge.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the MPD for comment but did not receive a response by publication.

‘Dangerous Techniques and Weapons’

The report revealed that Minneapolis officers frequently employed excessive force, including instances of “unjustified deadly force,” while also infringing upon the rights of individuals exercising their constitutionally protected speech.

The probe further highlighted that both the police force and the city exhibited discriminatory behavior toward individuals with “behavioral health disabilities” when officers were called upon for assistance.

“We found that the Minneapolis Police Department routinely uses excessive force, often when no force is necessary, including unjust deadly force and unreasonable use of tasers,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told a news conference in Minneapolis on Friday.

Garland expressed concerns that police officers were found to have fired their weapons at individuals without adequately assessing the presence of an actual threat.

The report further alleges that the police have, for an extended period, “used dangerous techniques and weapons against individuals who, at most, committed a petty offense or sometimes no offense at all.”

Moreover, it states that officers have resorted to “using force to punish individuals who have angered or criticized the police.”

Police also “patrolled neighborhoods differently based on their racial composition and discriminated based on race when searching, handcuffing or using force against people during stops,” the report said.

As per the report, the city dispatched officers to respond to behavioral health-related 911 calls, “even when a law enforcement response was not appropriate or necessary, sometimes with tragic results. These actions put MPD officers and the Minneapolis community at risk.”

The conclusions were drawn from examinations of documents and incident files, scrutiny of body-worn camera recordings, analysis of data provided by the city and police, and engagement in ride-alongs and conversations with officers, residents, and various individuals, as outlined in the report.

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