Blumenthal, Murphy Call for Investigation Into Racially Discriminatory & Violent Policing at Minneapolis Police Department
After George Floyd was killed at the hands of a Minneapolis Police officer, the lawmakers say DOJ probe is needed to ensure change, future accountability
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with 24 colleagues, to call on the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct an investigation into the patterns and practices of racially discriminatory and violent policing in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD).
“Given the repeated instances of police violence that have resulted in the deaths of several citizens—a disproportionate share of whom have been black men—we ask that the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department conduct an investigation into the patterns and practices of racially discriminatory and violent policing in the MPD. The Department should also be prepared to use the strongest tools available—including the use of court-supervised consent decrees—to ensure oversight, enforcement, and accountability on an ongoing basis,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Those responsible must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law in order to serve justice for George Floyd and his loved ones. And we must work toward justice for the community, which means ensuring that the MPD accounts for and eliminates any unconstitutional police practices. It is imperative that the Department of Justice do its part toward that end.”
Blumenthal, Murphy, Klobuchar and Smith were joined by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jon Tester (D-MT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Gary Peters (D-MI)
Full text of the letter can be found HERE.
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