DOJ Uncovers Widespread Civil Rights Violations by Phoenix Police Department

In a groundbreaking revelation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has determined that the Phoenix Police Department (PhxPD) and the City of Phoenix have systematically engaged in conduct violating the U.S. Constitution and federal law. The DOJ’s comprehensive investigation, initiated on August 5, 2021, highlighted several alarming practices:

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department announced today that the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
🔗: https://t.co/caF7BFC1YG pic.twitter.com/7pUwXOAmLj
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) June 13, 2024

Excessive Force: PhxPD frequently uses unjustified force, including deadly force.
Homelessness Violations: The PhxPD and the City unlawfully detain, cite, and arrest homeless individuals, often illegally disposing of their belongings. This marks the first DOJ finding focusing on the rights of the homeless.
Racial Discrimination: Discriminatory enforcement practices target Black, Hispanic, and Native American communities.
Free Speech Infringements: PhxPD has been found violating the First Amendment rights of individuals engaged in protected speech and expression.
Discrimination in Crisis Responses: Both PhxPD and the City discriminate against individuals with behavioral health disabilities, particularly during crisis interventions.

The investigation also raised serious concerns about PhxPD’s treatment of children and identified significant policy, training, supervision, and accountability deficiencies contributing to the department’s unlawful conduct.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency, expressing a commitment to working with Phoenix to implement meaningful reforms:

“The release of today’s findings report is an important step toward accountability and transparency, and we are committed to working with the City of Phoenix and Phoenix Police Department on meaningful reform that protects the civil rights and safety of Phoenix residents and strengthens police-community trust.”

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke highlighted the need for transformative changes to restore community trust and ensure fair, non-discriminatory policing:

“Phoenix residents deserve nothing less than fair, non-discriminatory, and constitutional policing. Our comprehensive investigation revealed unlawful and unconstitutional practices in the Phoenix Police Department’s enforcement activities that impact some of Phoenix’s most vulnerable residents, including Black, Hispanic, and Native American people, homeless people, and those experiencing behavioral health crises. The police also used excessive force, delayed necessary medical aid, and infringed on the civil rights of those engaged in First Amendment-protected conduct, including demonstrations and protests. Our findings provide a blueprint and a roadmap that can help transform the police department, restore community trust and strengthen public safety efforts in one of America’s largest cities. We are committed to working collaboratively with the police department, city officials, and the public to institute reform and remedy the violations we identified in our investigation.”

The DOJ’s findings are based on extensive interviews with PhxPD officers, supervisors, City officials, and community members, as well as the review of thousands of documents and hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage. Throughout the investigation, the DOJ engaged with Phoenix officials to provide feedback and discuss potential reforms.

Moving forward, the DOJ will work with the City and PhxPD to negotiate a comprehensive court-enforceable settlement with independent monitoring to address these violations. The DOJ will also conduct community outreach to explain the findings and gather input on proposed remedies.

This investigation is part of a broader DOJ initiative, with similar investigations conducted in cities like Louisville, Minneapolis, and New York, aiming to address systemic issues within various law enforcement agencies nationwide.

For more information, visit the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division website or join the upcoming virtual community meeting to learn more about the findings and proposed reforms.

Additional Resources