Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced that the Justice Department will open a sweeping investigation into whether the Minneapolis Police Department has a “pattern or practice” of discriminatory policing practices.
Why it matters: The federal probe, which will also examine MPD’s handling of misconduct allegations against officers, could result in significant changes to policing in Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
- The announcement comes a day after a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s killing, setting off celebrations across the country. Continue reading.