Minnesota Dept. of Human Rights files civil rights charge against Minneapolis Police Department

Five days after the Hennepin County Attorney filed criminal charges in the case of George Floyd, the Minnesota Dept. of Human Rights has filed civil right charges against the Minneapolis Police Department.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) made the announcement as protest continue across the world against the violent actions of the police officers. The Charge of Discrimination was submitted on June 1 and docketed June 2.

Our Minnesota Department of Human Rights today filed a civil rights charge against the MPD. @mnhumanrights will investigate the department’s policies, procedures, and practices over the past 10 years to determine if they engaged in systemic discriminatory practices.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 2, 2020

According to the Charge of Discrimination form the investigation will cover the past 10 years of Minneapolis Police Department policies and procedures in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA).

The Commissioner of the Department of Human Rights, mentions there is sufficient information to investigate ‘systemic discriminatory patterns or practices towards people of color, specifically Black community members, on the basis of race and in the area of public services.’

It is said that the found actions since 2010 will violate the MHRA. On Monday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, taking over the prosecution in the case of George Floyd, said to CNN we plan to “hold everyone accountable.”

According to the Governor this will be the first time Minnesota has launched a civil rights investigation against the Minneapolis Police Department, the largest department in the state.

Governor Walz goes on to state, “We’re not going to restore peace on our streets by having a bigger group of National Guard show up. We’re not going to establish peace on our streets by keeping a curfew time…We’re going to establish peace on our streets when we address the systemic issues that caused it in the first place.”

With eight days of continued protest, these statements come after enacting the National Guard, setting curfews in the state, and arrest of protestors.