# Minneapolis pattern-or-practice investigation *A United States Department of Justice civil-rights inquiry into the Minneapolis Police Department, opened April 21, 2021, and ended by dismissal in 2025.* The **Minneapolis pattern-or-practice investigation** was a civil-rights inquiry by the United States Department of Justice into the [[Minneapolis Police Department]] (MPD) and the [[City of Minneapolis]]. It was conducted under 34 U.S.C. § 12601. The Department opened it on April 21, 2021, one day after the [[Chauvin verdict]].[^1] On June 16, 2023 the Civil Rights Division announced reasonable-cause findings on excessive force and discrimination.[^2] On January 6, 2025 a [[consent decree]] was filed in federal court.[^3] On May 21, 2025 the Department moved to dismiss the suit with prejudice and retracted its own findings.[^4] The court granted dismissal in late May 2025.[^5][^1] The Department's May 2025 release quoted Assistant Attorney General Dhillon, who described the step as "ending the Biden Civil Rights Division's failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders."[^4] The federal track's documented outputs are an 89-page findings report,[^6] a 169-page consent decree that provided for an independent monitor,[^3] a motion to dismiss with prejudice, and the retraction of the findings.[^4] The record shows the Department's change of position and its stated rationale. It does not establish reasons beyond that statement.[^4] The Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) ran a parallel state process under the [[Minnesota Human Rights Act]]. It filed a charge on June 1, 2020 and found probable cause on April 27, 2022.[^7] It then obtained a court-enforceable settlement, which [[Hennepin County District Court]] approved on July 13, 2023. That approval came eighteen months before the federal decree was filed and twenty-two months before the federal decree was dismissed.[^8][^3][^4] ## What ### Federal findings On June 16, 2023 the Civil Rights Division found reasonable cause that MPD "uses excessive force, including unjustified deadly force and unreasonable use of tasers." It also found reasonable cause that MPD "unlawfully discriminates against Black people and Native American people in its enforcement activities."[^2] The full findings report runs to 89 pages.[^6] ### Consent decree The consent decree was filed on January 6, 2025 in *United States v. City of Minneapolis*, No. 0:25-cv-00048 (D. Minn.). It runs to 169 pages and provides for an independent monitor.[^3] The case has its own entry: [[United States v. City of Minneapolis (MPD consent decree)]]. ### Dismissal and retraction In release 25-534 of May 21, 2025, the Civil Rights Division moved to "dismiss with prejudice" the Minneapolis and [[Louisville]] suits and closed both investigations. It retracted the findings in both matters. In the same action it retracted findings as to [[Phoenix]], [[Trenton]], [[Memphis]], [[Mount Vernon]], [[Oklahoma City]] and the [[Louisiana State Police]].[^4] Judge [[Paul A. Magnuson]] granted dismissal with prejudice and denied the settlement-approval motion as moot. He wrote that he had "grave misgivings about the proposed consent decree serving the public interest."[^5] Sahan Journal reports that the order issued May 28, 2025, while the Clearinghouse docket dates the dismissal May 27, 2025. The one-day discrepancy is carried here, not resolved.[^5][^1] ### The state instrument On April 27, 2022 MDHR found "probable cause that the City and MPD engage in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act." That finding followed a charge filed June 1, 2020.[^7] A court-enforceable settlement was filed March 31, 2023 in *Minnesota v. Minneapolis Police Department*, [[No. 27-CV-23-4177]]. Hennepin County District Court Judge Karen Janisch approved it on July 13, 2023.[^8] The settlement terminates only on a finding of "full, effective, and sustained compliance."[^8] The [[independent evaluator]], ELEFA, began work on March 18, 2024.[^8] The settlement documents are collected on MDHR's agreement page,[^9] and the case is docketed at the Clearinghouse.[^10] ## When - June 1, 2020: MDHR files its charge against the City and MPD.[^7] - April 21, 2021: the Department of Justice opens the pattern-or-practice investigation under 34 U.S.C. § 12601, one day after the Chauvin verdict.[^1] - April 27, 2022: MDHR finds probable cause of a pattern or practice of race discrimination.[^7] - March 31, 2023: the state settlement is filed.[^8] - June 16, 2023: the Department announces its reasonable-cause findings.[^2] - July 13, 2023: Hennepin County District Court approves the state settlement.[^8] - March 18, 2024: the state settlement's independent evaluator begins work.[^8] - January 6, 2025: the consent decree is filed in *United States v. City of Minneapolis*.[^3] - May 21, 2025: the Department moves to dismiss with prejudice and retracts the findings.[^4] - May 27 or 28, 2025: Judge Magnuson grants dismissal. The Clearinghouse docket gives May 27; Sahan Journal gives May 28.[^1][^5] ## How many The MDHR report states that 13 of the 14 people killed by MPD officers since 2010 were people of color or Indigenous.[^7] It also states that Black residents made up 19% of the city's population. Yet they accounted for 63% of recorded use-of-force incidents from 2010 to 2020.[^7] For 2017 to 2020, the report states that Black residents accounted for 54% of officer-initiated traffic stops and 78% of all searches.[^7] ## In the at-issue record The at-issue entry [[At issue 029 - DOJ opened the Minneapolis pattern-or-practice investigation on April]] places the federal opening on April 21, 2021. That was the day after the county's prosecution reached a verdict. The record documents the timing, not its cause.[^1] A second entry, [[At issue 097 - Michael Freeman announced his retirement on September 1]], places a retirement announcement by [[Michael Freeman]] dated September 1, 2021 about four months after the federal opening. That entry is stated as sequence, not causation.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse, docket for case 18178 (City of Minneapolis / MPD) — investigation opened April 21, 2021 under 34 U.S.C. § 12601, one day after the Chauvin verdict; dismissal dated May 27, 2025. https://clearinghouse.net/case/18178/ [^2]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, findings press release No. 23-674 (June 16, 2023) — 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." https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-minneapolis-police-department-and-city [^3]: U.S. Department of Justice, press release on the 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 [^4]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, press release No. 25-534 (May 21, 2025) — motion to "dismiss with prejudice" the Minneapolis and Louisville suits, closure of both investigations, and retraction of findings, including those as to Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City and the Louisiana State Police; statement of AAG Dhillon. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-department-justices-civil-rights-division-dismisses-biden-era-police-investigations-and [^5]: Sahan Journal, report on the dismissal of the Minneapolis federal consent decree (May 2025) — Judge Paul A. Magnuson's order of May 28, 2025 granting dismissal with prejudice, denying approval as moot, and citing "grave misgivings about the proposed consent decree serving the public interest." https://sahanjournal.com/public-safety/minneapolis-federal-consent-decree-dismissed/ [^6]: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Minneapolis findings report (June 2023) — the full 89-page report. https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-06/minneapolis_findings_report.pdf [^7]: 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; 13 of 14 people killed since 2010; 19% / 63% use-of-force figures, 2010–2020; 54% of traffic stops and 78% of searches, 2017–2020. https://mn.gov/mdhr/assets/Investigation%20into%20the%20City%20of%20Minneapolis%20and%20the%20Minneapolis%20Police%20Department_tcm1061-526417.pdf [^8]: Minnesota Department of Human Rights, civil rights update (2023–2024) — settlement filed March 31, 2023 and approved July 13, 2023 by Judge Karen Janisch, *Minnesota v. Minneapolis Police Department*, No. 27-CV-23-4177; termination on "full, effective, and sustained compliance"; evaluator ELEFA began March 18, 2024. https://mn.gov/mdhr/news-community/newsroom/civilrightsupdates.jsp?id=1061-584578 [^9]: Minnesota Department of Human Rights, MPD settlement agreement document page — the settlement and related filings. https://mn.gov/mdhr/mpd/agreement/ [^10]: Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse, docket for case 43326, *Minnesota v. Minneapolis Police Department* (Hennepin County) — state settlement docket. https://clearinghouse.net/case/43326/