Topline
The Justice Department on Thursday opened a civil rights investigation into whether the Louisiana State Police uses excessive force against people of color or engages in racially discriminatory policing.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke speaks at a news conference in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, … [+]
Key Facts
The “pattern-or-practice” probe is the first statewide investigation of a law enforcement agency that the Justice Department has opened in over two decades, according to Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general in charge of the civil rights division.
“We find significant justification to open this investigation now,” Clarke said during a press conference, adding that the department has received information about repeated use of excessive force, often against those suspected of minor traffic offenses or who are not resisting arrest.
Clarke also mentioned reports of the use of racial slurs and derogatory terms by police.
“There are reports that officers target Black residents in their traffic enforcement practices and in use of force,” Clarke said, noting that Louisiana has the second highest percentage of Black residents in the country at nearly 33%.
The investigation will review incident reports, body camera footage, Louisiana state policies, training materials, supervision records, among other documents.
Key Background
The investigation comes more than three years after video released by the AP showed Louisiana State troopers brutally punching, stunning, and dragging Ronald Greene, an unarmed Black man who failed to stop during a high-speed chase. Greene died after the beating, but police initially said he was killed after his car crashed into a tree. The AP’s investigation found that Greene’s arrest was one of at least a dozen over the past 10 years where state police troopers or their superiors concealed evidence of a beating. Greene’s family filed a wrongful death suit in 2020 against the troopers, but no one has been charged.
Crucial Quote
“We received info about the repeated use of excessive force, often against people who are suspected of minor traffic offenses, are already handcuffed or are not resisting,” Clarke said.
Further Reading
‘He Was Tortured’: Outrage Erupts Over Videos Of Black Man’s Deadly Encounter With Louisiana Police (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliecoleman/2022/06/09/justice-department-opens-civil-rights-investigation-into-louisiana-state-police/