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Phoenix Police Probed for Use of Force, Civil Rights Abuses
The Justice Department has launched an investigation into the Phoenix Police Department and the city of Phoenix, scrutinizing their patterns and practices of policing.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Kristen Clarke, announced that the investigation will evaluate all types of force used by Phoenix police officers, including deadly force. The probe will also aim to determine if the police department takes reprisals against individuals for protected First Amendment activities, if the police surveillance is discriminatory, or if the police department improperly seizes or disposes of belongings of homeless individuals.
Federal officials informed Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams, and other municipal officials of the investigation.
‘When we conduct pattern or practice investigations to determine whether constitutional or federal law rights have been violated, our goal is to promote transparency and accountability,’ said Attorney General Merrick Garland. ‘That increases public trust, which in turn improves public safety. We know police agencies share these goals.’
‘One of the Division of Civil Rights’ main priorities is to ensure that every person in this country benefits from lawful, effective, transparent, and non-discriminatory policing,’ said Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General. ‘Police officers across the country must use their authority in a way that adheres to the Constitution, complies with federal civil rights laws, and respects human dignity.’
The investigation is being conducted under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of their constitutional rights. The law allows the Justice Department to correct such misconduct through civil litigation.
The investigation will also examine the city’s and police department’s practices for responding to individuals with disabilities under the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Safe Streets Act of 1968, the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. will lead the investigation. Those with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Justice Department by email at Phoenix.Community@usdoj.gov or by calling the free hotline at (866) 432-0335. Civilians can also report civil rights violations connected to this or other cases using the new portal at civilrights.justice.gov.
For more information on the Civil Rights Division’s police reform work, visit: https://www.justice.gov/crt/police-reform
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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