WASHINGTON – The Justice Department opened a full civil rights investigation into the practices of the Phoenix Police Department, including whether officers routinely violate the rights of the homeless in the city of Arizona, officials said Thursday.
The investigation will investigate whether officials engage in unconstitutional policing, including discriminating against people with disabilities, using excessive force and violating the rights of law-abiding protesters’ First Amendment, they said. In particular, investigators will also try to find out whether the police are violating the constitutional rights of the homeless by confiscating and disposing of their property.
“Too often we ask law enforcement officers to be the first and last option to raise issues that shouldn’t be addressed by our criminal justice system,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “That makes the work of the police more difficult and increases unnecessary confrontations.”
It is the third of these civil rights inquiries, known as the Model-or-Practice Inquiry, launched under the Biden administration that has prioritized the overhaul of local law enforcement agencies after the recent high-profile police killings of blacks and minorities across the country sparked off were protests. Such investigations can take years and often end in legally enforceable agreements, so-called decrees of consent, which are intended to force changes.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said she welcomed the investigation. “The recommendations that emerge from this review will help us in our ongoing efforts to become an even safer, stronger and fairer city,” she said.
Comments are closed.