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The murder of George Floyd
Jon Collins
Minneapolis

Feds, Garland set to speak Friday on 2-year probe of Minneapolis police

Police prepare and organize to address protesters
On Friday the findings of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into the Minneapolis Police Department will be released.
John Minchillo | AP Photo

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U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and other top officials with the U.S. Department of Justice are expected to speak in Minneapolis on Friday morning about the federal government’s more than two-year investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department. 

The investigation started in April 2021 following the conviction of ex-officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Federal authorities have been examining whether the Minneapolis Police Department routinely used excessive force and violated people’s constitutional rights.

In most cases, these “pattern or practice” investigations lead to a consent decree between the city and federal government, which is enforced by a federal court and overseen by an independent monitor. 

The consent decree — which can include requirements like officer training, increased transparency about police actions or revamped processes for officer accountability — will not be lifted until the judge is satisfied that the city has made progress on the terms of the agreement. 

The federal investigation has a broader scope than a separate state investigation by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which found that Minneapolis officers discriminated against people of color and led to a court-enforced settlement agreement in March that includes provisions like a ban on officers searching people because they say they smelled marijuana. 

Besides Garland, the 10 a.m. Friday press conference in Minneapolis includes Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Ann Bildtsen, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

More details of the federal investigation are expected to be released at that time. 

The investigative report will likely lead to negotiations between the city and the Justice Department on the terms of the consent decree, which could take months.

If the parties agree on a federal consent decree, it would be the first time a city in the country has been subject to court-enforced settlement agreements from both the federal and state governments at the same time.

If any terms of a prospective federal consent decree interfere with the state agreement, the federal agreement will take precedent.