Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the Department of Justice (DOJ) will conduct a sweeping investigation into the policing practices of the Minneapolis police.
The news comes one day after a jury found former officer Derek Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder for killing George Floyd.
“Yesterday’s verdict in the state criminal trial does not address potentially systemic policing issues in Minneapolis,” Garland said at a press conference.
The investigation will be a “comprehensive review” to determine if the Minneapolis police department engaged in a “pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.”
“I strongly believe that good officers do not want to work in systems that allow bad practices,” Garland added. “Good officers welcome accountability.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland: “Today, I am announcing that the Justice Department has opened a civil investigation to determine whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.” https://t.co/KByU4p5M7R pic.twitter.com/sOJ1gN3THk
— CNN (@CNN) April 21, 2021
DOJ Investigating Minneapolis Police Department
The DOJ announcement of an investigation into the entire Minneapolis Police Department comes following comments by Garland that racism is “an American problem.”
“Look, racism is an American problem,” Garland told ABC News. “It’s plain to me that there has been and remains discrimination against African Americans and other communities of color, and other ethnic minorities.”
“I think it’s reflected in discrimination in housing and employment and the justice system,” he added. “We do not yet have equal justice under law.”
Garland’s comments bring about a sigh of relief among conservatives that his nomination for the Supreme Court was never advanced.
Garland shares President Biden’s sentiment that America has a terrible track record when it comes to racism.
“America has a long history of systemic racism,” Biden said before stating that black men in America are treated “as less than human.”
“It is a problem for every American,” he added. “It is keeping us from fulfilling the promise of liberty and justice for all, and it is holding our nation back from realizing our full potential.”
Biden claims “systemic racism is a stain on our nation’s soul.”
What a liar.
Being a minority in America in the 2020s is a distinct advantage, as I can personally confirm.
We are not a racist country — and shame on Biden for smearing America.pic.twitter.com/WR9KtBYBVk
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) April 21, 2021
Extremists Are Running America
The DOJ investigation of the Minneapolis police and Biden’s anti-America comments shows you how fine a line there is now between the administration and far-left members of the Squad.
Using Chauvin as a jumping point to paint the entire department with a broad brush of systemic racism doesn’t differ much from past comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) who called police there a “cancer.”
Omar said the department “continues to brutalize us” and described them as a ‘cancer’ that needed to be cut out.
When this whole thing fails, take note that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also supports the dismantling of the Minneapolis Police Department. pic.twitter.com/cW3O745oq5
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) June 8, 2020
Garland’s investigation will likely be a detriment to the community as the entire policing industry will be forced to pull back after the Chauvin trial.
In February, an Axios report revealed that violent crime, including homicide and assault, had jumped over 20 percent in the Twin Cities, with the report noting the George Floyd case was at least in part to blame.
The column suggests “the public response to George Floyd’s May 25 killing, including a lack of faith in police, could be a factor.”
The homicide rate in Minneapolis jumped 70% in 2020 over the year before. Violent crime was up 22%. https://t.co/mOMbZTfAZ6
— KHQA News (@KHQA) April 17, 2021
I’m certain an investigation headed by an AG who believes the justice system is discriminatory will do wonders for those numbers.
This article was originally published by the Political Insider. Read the original article.
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