(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch.
This unaltered story first appeared on URL: https://iowacapitaldispatch.com
Licensed for republication through Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
------------


U.S. Justice Department launches probe of Phoenix Police Department over allegations of excessive force

['Laura Olson', 'More From Author', '- August']

Date: 2021-08


WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the city of Phoenix and its police department, to review whether law enforcement officers there have engaged in a pattern of excessive force and discriminatory practices, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday.

The investigation is the third in a series of similar police probes that also are underway in Minneapolis and Louisville, Ky., after residents in those cities were killed by police officers.

Part of the probe will examine whether police officers have violated the rights of people who are experiencing homelessness, as well as the city’s and the department’s practices for responding to people with disabilities, Garland said during a news briefing announcing the investigation.

“Our society is straining the policing profession, by turning to law enforcement to address a wide array of social problems,” Garland said. “Too often, we ask law enforcement officers to be the first and last option for addressing issues that should not be handled by our criminal justice system.”

The federal government also will review whether officers have retaliated against protesters. The city has faced a number of lawsuits from protesters who have claimed that their constitutional rights have been violated, according to the Arizona Mirror.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said the sweeping probe will involve meeting with officers and police staff, as well as with members of the broader Phoenix community. Investigators will review incident reports, body camera footage and other department records and policies, she said.

DOJ officials said they informed Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams, and other city officials of the investigation.

[END]

[1] Url: https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/u-s-justice-department-launches-probe-of-phoenix-police-department-over-allegations-of-excessive-force/

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/iowacapitaldispatch/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.