Central STL News

Washington, D.C.  — Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), a Member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the findings of the Department of Justice’s pattern-or-practice investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department:

“The organizing and energy in Minneapolis and around the country after the merciless killing of George Floyd reflected a shared resolve that Black people would no longer tolerate the promise of band-aids to heal centuries of racism, terror, and abuse in our communities at the hands of law enforcement. That resolve remains strong, and our work continues today. As with Ferguson, Louisville, Portland, Cleveland, Seattle, and other cities, the findings of the Department of Justice’s pattern-or-practice investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department are painfully disturbing but not surprising. Black, Indigenous, and disabled people in Minneapolis have long known about these abuses because they have long been subjected to them.

“The Department should pursue a comprehensive consent decree that is rooted in changing systems and practices in partnership with the people of Minneapolis, as well as review and publicly disclose whether its funding practices contributed to unlawful conduct against the residents of Minneapolis.

“As a country, we must stop accepting half-measures as reform. In order to achieve true accountability–and save lives–we need a complete transformation of our criminal legal system. How many more investigations will it take for our country to admit that the status quo is unyieldingly guilty of racism and abuse? While the steps announced today are necessary progress, nobody should expect one law enforcement agency to fix another. True community safety requires overcoming the instinct to criminalize every perceived social problem and to instead invest in the health and well-being of everyone in our society to prevent violence and trauma. 

“I’m grateful for the continued resolve of the people of Minneapolis and of their Congresswoman, my sister-in-service, Ilhan Omar, who has been a relentless advocate for this comprehensive investigation by the Department. Together, we will continue to organize every day for an end to police violence, mass incarceration, and all forms of violence, all while fighting for an affirmative vision of safety rooted in the well-being of our communities.” 

Following the murder of Michael Brown by a now-terminated Ferguson police officer, Congresswoman Bush became a civil rights activist and community organizer fighting for justice for Black lives on the streets of Missouri and across the country. She became the first activist from the movement to save Black lives elected to Congress. Congresswoman Bush has championed community safety issues such as centering an evidence-based public health approach to safety, ending qualified immunity, funding mental health resources for those impacted by police violence, and abolishing the death penalty. In March 2021, Congresswoman Bush proudly voted in favor of H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.

Original source can be found here