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About the Investigation

On June 1, 2020, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights filed a charge of discrimination against the City of Minneapolis to determine if the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) engages in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, the state's civil rights law. 

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights opened its investigation after an MPD officer murdered George Floyd on May 25, 2020. 

A pattern or practice of discrimination is present where the denial of rights consists of something more than isolated, sporadic incidents, but is repeated, routine, or of a generalized nature. Such a showing may be made through statistical evidence and/or other examples of specific instances of discrimination. 

Minnesota has one of the strongest civil rights laws in the country. Under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, it is illegal for a police department to discriminate against someone because of their race. 

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