DOJ Dropping Police Reform Agreements With Louisville, Minneapolis

The Justice Department announced plans to terminate federal oversight agreements, known as consent decrees, with the police departments in Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. These agreements were initially established following the high-profile cases of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, respectively.

The decision was announced by Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, who stated that the administration opposes these agreements as they transfer local policing control to unelected officials. Dhillon emphasized that the current agreements do not meet the department's high standards. However, she noted that there might still be situations where a consent decree is appropriate.

The consent decrees were designed to reform police departments found to have patterns of misconduct. In Louisville, the agreement followed an investigation into the police department after Breonna Taylor's death in 2020. It included reforms such as using appropriate de-escalation techniques and holding officers accountable for misconduct. Despite the federal withdrawal, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey affirmed their commitment to continuing reforms independently.

In Minneapolis, the consent decree was a response to findings of excessive force and racially discriminatory policing after George Floyd's death. Minneapolis city officials also pledged to uphold reforms, with the police department remaining under a separate agreement with the state’s Department of Human Rights.

Despite the federal withdrawal, both cities have committed to continuing the reform processes independently to improve their police departments and community relations.