Minnesota Launches Civil Rights Investigation Into Police

Minnesota governor Tim Walz announced the launch of the civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, NBC News reports. The probe will be led by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

“The Minnesota of Department of Human Rights is filing a commissioner’s charge of discrimination and launch a civil right investigation against the Minneapolis Police Department,” Walz said to reporters on Tuesday (June 2).

“The investigation will review MPD’s policies, procedures and practices over the last 10 years to determine if the department has utilized systemic discriminatory practices towards people of color.”

The probe will be designed to root out “systemic racism that is generations deep,” and not just focus on the death of George Floyd, Gov. Walz told reporters.

Minneapolis City Council will assist with the probe. “We urge the state to use its full weight to hold the Minneapolis Police Department accountable for any and all abuses of power and harms to our community and stand ready to aid in this process as full partners,” the Council wrote in a statement.

RELATED: Jay-Z Calls Minnesota Governor Over George Floyd

Derek Chauvin, the officer who held his knee of Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes and killed him, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng are the three other officers who have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department but not arrested or charged. 

BET has been covering every angle of George Floyd’s death in police custody, other social justice cases and the subsequent aftermath and protests. For our continuing coverage, click here.