The United States Department of Justice will review how the Minneapolis Police Department handled the 18-day 4th Precinct encampment protest following the fatal shooting of Jamar Clark in November.
Mayor Betsy Hodges and Police Chief Janee Harteau requested the investigation, said Mary Brandenberger, a press secretary for the DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
The COPS assessment will aim to improve how future protests are policed, as well as their unintended consequences, she said.
Police departments across the country can reference the report on MPD as a blueprint for how to handle protests, Brandenberger said.
“Our ultimate goal is to increase communication and build trust between the police department and the community,” she said.
COPS will model the assessment after how it investigated the Ferguson, Mo., protests after the 2014 death of Michael Brown.
As it did in Ferguson, the assessment team will review records and talk with law enforcement, elected officials, community members and other stakeholders, Brandenberger said.
Hodges will look to the DOJ’s review for insight on future improvements for Minneapolis leaders, police department and residents, city spokesperson David Prestwood said.
