City of Minneapolis statements regarding federal decision in Jamar Clark case
U.S. Attorney Luger announced results of Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division investigation
June 1, 2016 (MINNEAPOLIS) – Today, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Andrew Luger announced the results of the independent investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into the November officer-involved shooting death of Jamar Clark. Luger announced that the DOJ will not bring charges against police officers based on the investigation conducted by the Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“Chief Harteau and I asked for this independent federal investigation by the Department of Justice because we believed it would be the best way to build confidence in the process and in the outcome for everyone concerned,” Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said. “The community wanted a federal review, and so on Nov. 16 we asked the Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation. Now that the investigation has concluded, I want to thank the Department of Justice for its independent investigation. At this time, the City will move forward with its own internal investigation.”
“This has been a difficult time for all of Minneapolis,” Hodges continued. “I understand this decision has struck at the heart of a painful tension in the community. What we can do now is move forward together to build a city that is safe and equitable for everyone.”
“Two investigations into the shooting death of Jamar Clark have now concluded, with an internal investigation still ongoing,” said Minneapolis City Council President Barbara Johnson. “Nothing can change the fact that this case is a tragedy for everyone involved. That includes, of course, the family of Jamar Clark, but it’s also tragic for the two officers who have been the subject of the investigations and those officers’ families. It’s a challenging time for our community, and the City will continue to support the safety of everyone as we move forward.”
“Very early in this process, many community members asked for this federal investigation, which the mayor and I supported and requested,” Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said. “I have full faith in this independent investigation. We have had two thorough investigations into this matter that arrived at the same conclusion. I am satisfied with the thoroughness of these investigations, am confident in their results, and I hope the public will accept their conclusions. I will continue to support the officers involved as the MPD moves forward with its work building trust and legitimacy with the communities we serve.”
Now that the federal investigation has concluded, the Minneapolis Police Department will continue its Internal Affairs investigation into the matter to determine if the actions of the two officers were consistent with departmental policy and procedure. MPD is committed to a fair and thorough investigation. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act dictates the information that the City is allowed to share regarding internal investigations. At the conclusion of the Internal Affairs investigation, MPD will release as much information as State statute allows.