DOJ Report Alleges Phoenix Police and City Officials Violated Civil Rights of Minorities and Homeless

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a 126-page report alleging that Phoenix, Arizona, city and law enforcement officials have violated the civil rights of minorities, the homeless, and children. “The Justice Department has concluded there is reasonable cause to believe that the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives its residents and visitors, including Black, Hispanic, and Native American people, of their rights under the Constitution and federal law,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a June 13 press release. In August 2021, the DOJ began investigating the Phoenix Police Department and the city of Phoenix officials, which included interviews with staff and community members, review of body camera footage, document reviews, and ridealongs....