DOJ Dismantles Federal Police Reform Across the Country

Trump administration retreats from federal oversight as some cities vow to continue reforms on their own.

Minnesota Police stand guard during George Floyd protests in 2020 (photo by munshots via Unsplash)

The Trump administration is shutting down federal investigations into alleged civil rights violations by police departments in Minneapolis, Louisville, and six other jurisdictions. In a sweeping rollback of Biden-era oversight efforts, the Justice Department also said it would retract previously released findings of misconduct.

The Civil Rights Division will end pattern-and-practice probes in Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City, and the Louisiana State Police.

“Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control of policing… often with an anti-police agenda,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon. “Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment.” (ABC News)

While the DOJ retreats, several states say they will continue forward with their own agreements. “Our state court consent decree isn’t going anywhere,” said Minnesota’s human rights commissioner Rebecca Lucero. “MPD must make transformational changes to address race-based policing.” (NBC News)

This move comes just four days before the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.

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The Trump administration’s move to dismantle federal oversight efforts raises questions about who holds police accountable.

👉 In today’s Pro Brief, we examine what happens now - and why some cities are still vowing to press ahead with reform.