MEMPHIS, TN- The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the results of a nearly two-year civil rights investigation of the City of Memphis Police Department (MPD), finding a pattern of conduct violating the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
The DOJ, in a statement last week, said its investigation has found the MPD uses excessive force, conducts unlawful stops searches, arrests and unlawfully discriminates against Black people when enforcing laws, and discriminates against people with behavioral health disabilities.
The DOJ said it also has found the treatment of children is an area of concern, as well as flaws in training, supervision, and accountability in MPD policing practices.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “The people of Memphis deserve a police department and city that protects their civil and constitutional rights, garners trust and keeps them safe.
“Our investigation also identified troubling policing practices that impact some of Memphis’ most vulnerable residents — its children. We acknowledge Memphis’ cooperation during our investigation and look forward to instituting reforms that will address the harms we identified.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee added, “Memphians are rightly concerned with gun violence and violent crime. They are also rightly concerned about the collective approach that we must take to tackle these issues. We hope to work with Mayor Young, Chief Davis, the Memphis Police Department and our Memphis partners to move forward.”
The DOJ noted the City as well as MPD cooperated fully with every step of the investigation, which began in July 2023, and was run by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee including onsite tours, ride-alongs, interviews, and reviews of important documents and body cams
“The department conducted this investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601 (Section 12601), which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law, the Safe Streets Act of 1968, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said DOJ.
The DOJ added findings from the investigation have been reviewed, and remain separate from the criminal case against a former MPD officer for the death of Tyre Nichols.
DOJ said the Memphis probe is just one of 12 investigations into law enforcement agencies opened by the Justice Department since April 2021.
In 2023 and 2024, the department issued findings reports regarding five of those investigations: the Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Phoenix Police Department, Lexington, Mississippi, Police Department, and Trenton, New Jersey, Police Department.
The five other ongoing investigations cover the Louisiana State Police; Mount Vernon, New York, Police Department; New York City Police Department’s Special Victims Division; Oklahoma City Police Department; and Rankin County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Department.
