# DOJ findings report on Minneapolis *A June 2023 U.S. Department of Justice findings report on the Minneapolis Police Department, whose conclusions the Department retracted in May 2025.* The DOJ findings report on Minneapolis is an 89-page report released on June 16, 2023 by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. It sets out the findings of the Division's pattern-or-practice investigation of the [[Minneapolis Police Department]] (MPD) and the [[City of Minneapolis]].[^1][^2] In release 23-674, the Department announced reasonable cause that MPD "uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force and unreasonable use of tasers" and "unlawfully discriminates against Black people and Native American people in its enforcement activities."[^1] On May 21, 2025, in release 25-534, the Department moved to dismiss its Minneapolis suit with prejudice, closed the investigation, and retracted the findings.[^3] The 89-page report was still posted on justice.gov as of the project dossier dated September 2, 2026. Both the findings and the Department's withdrawal of them are therefore in the public record.[^2][^3] A separate state instrument followed a different course. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) found probable cause on April 27, 2022 of a pattern or practice of race discrimination by the City and MPD under the [[Minnesota Human Rights Act]].[^4] On July 13, 2023, [[Hennepin County District Court]] approved a court-enforceable settlement. That settlement ends only on a judicial finding of "full, effective, and sustained compliance."[^5] ## What The report presents the federal findings from an investigation opened under 34 U.S.C. § 12601.[^6] Its findings concerned the use of force, including deadly force and tasers, and discrimination in enforcement against Black and Native American people.[^1][^2] A [[consent decree]] was filed on January 6, 2025 in [[United States v. City of Minneapolis (MPD consent decree)]], No. 0:25-cv-00048 (D. Minn.). The decree ran 169 pages and provided for an independent monitor.[^7] Release 25-534 covered more than Minneapolis. In it, the Department: - moved to dismiss with prejudice its suits concerning Minneapolis and [[Louisville]]; - closed both investigations; and - retracted their findings, along with the findings as to [[Phoenix]], [[Trenton]], [[Memphis]], [[Mount Vernon]], [[Oklahoma City]] and the [[Louisiana State Police]].[^3] Judge [[Paul A. Magnuson]] granted dismissal with prejudice and denied the motion to approve the settlement as moot.[^8] ## When - April 21, 2021: the federal investigation was opened, one day after the [[Chauvin verdict]].[^6] - June 16, 2023: the findings were announced and the 89-page report was released.[^1][^2] - January 6, 2025: the consent decree was filed in No. 0:25-cv-00048.[^7] - May 21, 2025: the Department moved to dismiss with prejudice and retracted the findings.[^3] - May 2025: the dismissal order issued. Sahan Journal reports it on May 28, 2025; the Clearinghouse docket dates it May 27, 2025. The project carries both dates without resolving the difference.[^8][^6] ## Who - The Department's Civil Rights Division issued the 2023 findings and the 2025 retraction.[^1][^3] - Assistant Attorney General Dhillon was quoted in the 2025 release announcing the dismissals and retractions.[^3] - Judge Paul A. Magnuson decided the dismissal in No. 0:25-cv-00048.[^8] ## Why The record carries the Department's stated reason for its 2025 action. It carries no stated reason for the report's continued posting. Release 25-534 quoted Dhillon describing the action as "ending the Biden Civil Rights Division's failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders."[^3] Set beside that statement, the documented outputs are: - reasonable-cause findings of excessive force and of discrimination against Black and Native American people, announced June 16, 2023;[^1] - a 169-page consent decree providing for an independent monitor, filed January 6, 2025;[^7] - on May 21, 2025, a motion to dismiss that suit with prejudice and a retraction of the findings;[^3] - the 89-page report, which remained posted as of September 2026.[^2] In granting dismissal, the court cited "grave misgivings about the proposed consent decree serving the public interest."[^8] ## How The federal instrument moved through four documented steps: 1. a pattern-or-practice investigation under 34 U.S.C. § 12601;[^6] 2. a published findings report;[^2] 3. a consent decree filed in federal court;[^7] 4. a motion to dismiss with prejudice, which the court granted, denying the settlement-approval motion as moot.[^3][^8] The Department's retraction of its findings was made by press release, in the same document that announced the dismissal motions.[^3] ## How many - The findings report runs 89 pages.[^2] - The consent decree runs 169 pages.[^7] - One release retracted findings concerning eight jurisdictions or agencies: Minneapolis, Louisville, Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City and the Louisiana State Police.[^3] ## In the at-issue record At-issue item [[At issue 032 - The DOJ findings report on Minneapolis runs 89]] pairs two documents. One is the 89-page findings report, still posted. The other is the Department's later withdrawal of the report's conclusions.[^2][^3] The record documents both. It does not establish why the report remains posted. ## In the Minnesota record ### Who The state matter was brought by MDHR.[^4] Hennepin County District Court Judge Karen Janisch approved the resulting settlement.[^5] An [[independent evaluator]], ELEFA, was engaged under the settlement.[^5] ### What MDHR's April 27, 2022 finding stated "probable cause that the City and MPD engage in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act."[^4] The report found that 13 of the 14 people killed by MPD officers since 2010 were people of color or Indigenous.[^4] It also found that Black residents were 19% of the population but accounted for: - 63% of recorded use-of-force incidents from 2010 to 2020; - 54% of officer-initiated traffic stops from 2017 to 2020; - 78% of all searches from 2017 to 2020.[^4] The settlement is a court-enforceable agreement in *Minnesota v. Minneapolis Police Department*, [[No. 27-CV-23-4177]].[^5][^9][^10] It terminates only on a finding of "full, effective, and sustained compliance."[^5] ### When - June 1, 2020: MDHR filed its charge.[^4] - April 27, 2022: MDHR issued its probable-cause finding.[^4] - March 31, 2023: the settlement was filed.[^5] - July 13, 2023: Hennepin County District Court approved the settlement.[^5][^10] - March 18, 2024: the independent evaluator, ELEFA, began work.[^5][^9] ## Notes [^1]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *Release 23-674* (June 16, 2023) — Civil Rights Division reasonable-cause findings that MPD uses excessive force and discriminates against Black and Native American people. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-minneapolis-police-department-and-city [^2]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, *Minneapolis findings report* (June 16, 2023) — the full 89-page findings report, posted on justice.gov. https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-06/minneapolis_findings_report.pdf [^3]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *Release 25-534* (May 21, 2025) — motions to dismiss with prejudice the Minneapolis and Louisville suits; closing of both investigations; retraction of findings, including those as to Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City and the Louisiana State Police; AAG Dhillon quoted. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-department-justices-civil-rights-division-dismisses-biden-era-police-investigations-and [^4]: Minnesota Department of Human Rights, *Investigation into the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department* (April 27, 2022) — charge filed June 1, 2020; probable-cause finding under the Minnesota Human Rights Act; counts of deaths, use of force, stops and searches. https://mn.gov/mdhr/assets/Investigation%20into%20the%20City%20of%20Minneapolis%20and%20the%20Minneapolis%20Police%20Department_tcm1061-526417.pdf [^5]: Minnesota Department of Human Rights, *Civil rights update on the MPD settlement* (2023–2024) — settlement filed March 31, 2023 and approved July 13, 2023 by Judge Karen Janisch; termination standard; independent evaluator ELEFA began March 18, 2024. https://mn.gov/mdhr/news-community/newsroom/civilrightsupdates.jsp?id=1061-584578 [^6]: Clearinghouse, *Case 18178: DOJ investigation of the City of Minneapolis and MPD* — investigation opened April 21, 2021 under 34 U.S.C. § 12601, one day after the Chauvin verdict; docket dates the dismissal May 27, 2025. https://clearinghouse.net/case/18178/ [^7]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *Release on agreement with the City of Minneapolis and MPD* (January 6, 2025) — consent decree in *United States v. City of Minneapolis*, No. 0:25-cv-00048 (D. Minn.), 169 pages, providing for an independent monitor. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-agreement-city-minneapolis-and-minneapolis-police-department [^8]: Sahan Journal, *Report on dismissal of the Minneapolis federal consent decree* (May 2025) — Judge Paul A. Magnuson granted dismissal with prejudice on May 28, 2025 and denied settlement approval as moot, citing "grave misgivings." https://sahanjournal.com/public-safety/minneapolis-federal-consent-decree-dismissed/ [^9]: Minnesota Department of Human Rights, *MPD agreement document hub* — documents of the court-enforceable settlement agreement. https://mn.gov/mdhr/mpd/agreement/ [^10]: Clearinghouse, *Case 43326: Minnesota v. Minneapolis Police Department* — docket for No. 27-CV-23-4177, Hennepin County District Court. https://clearinghouse.net/case/43326/