The Justice Department says it is retracting findings of constitutional violations by Phoenix police detailed in a blistering report released nearly a year ago. The report was written by civil rights investigators working for the Biden administration following a yearslong review. The move is part of a wholesale dismissal by the Justice Department of Biden-era police investigations.
And it comes after several Arizona lawmakers urged the Trump administration to lay off Phoenix police.
Civilian Jeremy Helfgot has spent a decade-plus working on Phoenix police reform. He said to act like facts in the report do not exist is unacceptable.
“I think it sends a signal to institutions that it’s perfectly OK and acceptable to ignore constitutional rights, ignore civil rights,” Helfgot said.
The report released last June details police violence, racial discrimination, mistreatment of homeless people, mentally ill people, protesters and children.
Civil rights investigators said in June 2024 that Phoenix police are excessively violent and recommended federal oversight.
Local officials react to announcement
Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Phoenix), released the following statement:
“The majority of Phoenix Police Officers perform their difficult, dangerous work with honor and integrity.
The City of Phoenix has acted in good faith to adopt substantial reforms–including those recommended by the Department of Justice–and demonstrated a strong commitment to improving safety and trust in the community. I urged the DOJ to take these reforms into account as they moved forward with their investigation.
I trust that necessary and important work will continue at the City, under Mayor Gallego’s leadership.”
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, who called for the report against the department to be dismissed, issued a statement:
"The men and women who selflessly serve within the Phoenix Police Department were unjustly attacked by the Biden Administration for years in an effort to appease radical activists targeting law enforcement across the nation. Today's announcement is complete vindication and will remove the handcuffs off our law enforcement so that they may do their jobs to keep the City of Phoenix and our citizens safe from criminals seeking to cause harm. Like Arizona Senate Republicans, the Trump Administration unequivocally backs the blue, and I'm grateful for the collaboration with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and Arizona's U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine to end the witch hunt against our Phoenix Police."
Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin issued the following statement:
"Today is a win for local law enforcement, Phoenix residents, and, most importantly, federalism. This morning, the Trump Administration announced an end to the Department of Justice's overreaching investigation of the Phoenix Police Department.
Since becoming Chairman, I have promised to fight back against these arbitrary, punitive measures inflicted by the federal government. Last month, I wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi calling for an end to the investigation into Phoenix PD and today we received the best possible response.
I am grateful for this administration's swift and decisive action. I will continue to fight on behalf of taxpayers and against the judicial oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department, which has cost taxpayers $352 million since 2008.
Today's decision is a step toward restoring local control and ending the federal government’s ever-moving goalposts."
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego gave a statement:
“We will continue to look for every opportunity to make sure we’re serving our residents in the best way possible. I said many times that we would adopt reforms and see them through, regardless of the DOJ investigation, and I meant it.”
In her annual State of the City address on Tuesday, Gallego also said: “I am fully committed to ensuring the Phoenix Police Department is one of the top law enforcement agencies in the nation. That’s why we’ve put a focus on increasing transparency and modernizing policies that protect our community’s most vulnerable. Community feedback and trust are vital to successful law enforcement. For that reason, we created and seated a Civilian Review Board comprised of dedicated residents— and passed a slate of meaningful reforms this past September. Together, we’ve committed to gathering better data, better interactions with residents, and greater accountability when we get it wrong.”
Phoenix Vice Mayor Ann O'Brien issued the following statement:
"During a recent meeting at the White House, I asked that the U.S. Department of Justice put a period at the end of the sentence in the investigation into the Phoenix Police Department. I explained how much progress our department has made—and continues to make—to better serve our community.
Now, more than three years after the federal investigation was launched, I am pleased to share the Department of Justice has closed its investigation into the Phoenix Police Department.
I have full trust in our city leaders and the Police Department to maintain our momentum as we strive to make the Phoenix Police Department the best in the country. We don’t always get it right, but we learn from our mistakes, and we make the necessary changes to improve.
The Police Department released an extensive Road to Reform report which outlines changes that have been made and that are being planned."
Phoenix City Councilmember Debra Stark released the following statement:
“The majority of Phoenix Police Officers perform their difficult, dangerous work with honor and integrity.
The City of Phoenix has acted in good faith to adopt substantial reforms–including those recommended by the Department of Justice–and demonstrated a strong commitment to improving safety and trust in the community. I urged the DOJ to take these reforms into account as they moved forward with their investigation.
I trust that necessary and important work will continue at the City, under Mayor Gallego’s leadership.”
Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean issued the following statement regarding the DOJ announcement:
“The federal government abandoning the Phoenix investigation is a clear vindication for the City and our department, but it is just the beginning. From what we now know of the DOJ's fraudulent investigative practices in the Phoenix investigation, thanks to a new report by Dr. Travis Yates and Dr. JC Chaix, one thing has become clear and indisputable - oversight of local police departments by the federal government simply does not work, and the evidence for that over the past 30 years is conclusive. At a minimum, it is ineffective and misguided - as we have seen in Phoenix - but moreover, it is inefficient. A small group of 30-plus attorneys in Washington DC, who know nothing of policing, cannot be an effective oversight mechanism for 17,000 police agencies nationwide. There is a better way, and we have a plan to enhance police oversight around the country and make it efficient, fair, and most of all - effective.
“We thank members of the Phoenix City Council, local elected leaders, and the community for supporting our officers and fighting against the DOJ's abhorrent attempt to control law enforcement. The men and women who serve in the Phoenix Police Department deserve our thanks and praise for sacrificing their lives each day for our community.”
The city of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department issued this statement:
"Throughout the course of the Department of Justice investigation, the mayor, City Council, City Manager’s Office and the police chief have tirelessly focused on enhancing policy, training and accountability measures to ensure the best public safety for everyone who lives, works and plays in Phoenix.
These continuous improvement efforts are ongoing and will not be altered by today’s announcement. In September 2024, the Phoenix City Council and police leadership proactively developed a comprehensive set of improvement measures across several City Departments. Staff provided an update on those enhancements in the April 15, 2024, Public Safety Improvement Update presented to the City Council.
Significant progress is already underway and will continue as we fulfill our responsibility to serve and protect the community while building trust through transparent, effective, and constitutional law enforcement practices.
The city of Phoenix recognizes the professionalism, dedication, and integrity demonstrated by the sworn officers and professional staff of the Phoenix Police Department. We are grateful for the continued support of our community throughout this process. It is our honor to serve the residents, visitors, and business owners of the great city of Phoenix."
Settlements with Minneapolis, Louisville to be canceled
The DOJ also will cancel settlements with Minneapolis and Louisville that called for an overhaul of their police departments following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that became the catalyst for nationwide racial injustice protests in the summer of 2020.
In addition to Phoenix, the Civil Rights Division will also be closing its investigations and retracting findings for the following departments:
- Trenton, New Jersey
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Mount Vernon, New York
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Louisiana State Police
Following a scathing report by the Justice Department in 2023, Minneapolis in January approved a consent decree with the federal government in the final days of the Biden administration to overhaul its training and use-of-force policies under court supervision.
The agreement required approval from a federal court in Minnesota. But the Trump administration was granted a delay soon after taking office while it considered its options, and on Wednesday told the court it does not intend to proceed. It planned to file a similar motion in federal court in Kentucky.
“After an extensive review by current Department of Justice and Civil Rights Division leadership, the United States no longer believes that the proposed consent decree would be in the public interest," said the Minnesota motion, signed by Andrew Darlington, acting chief of the special litigation section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The United States will no longer prosecute this matter.”
The Justice Department announced its decision just before the five-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Then-officer Derek Chauvin used his knee on May 25, 2020, to pin the Black man to the pavement for 9 1/2 minutes in a case that sparked protests around the world and a national reckoning with racism and police brutality.
However, no immediate changes are expected to affect the Minneapolis Police Department, which is operating under a similar consent decree with the Minnesota Human Rights Department.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara reiterated at a news conference Tuesday that his department would abide by the terms of the federal agreement as it was signed, regardless of what the Trump administration decided.
The city in 2023 reached a settlement agreement with the state Human Rights Department to remake policing, under court supervision, after the agency issued a blistering report in 2022 that found that police had long engaged in a pattern of racial discrimination.
Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said the state court decree “isn't going anywhere."
“Under the state agreement, the City and MPD must make transformational changes to address race-based policing," Lucero said in a statement. "The tremendous amount of work that lies ahead for the City, including MPD, cannot be understated. And our Department will be here every step of the way.”
