The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday that it has initiated a pattern or practice investigation into the City of Lexington’s police department (LPD). The probe will look into the LPD’s “use of force and its stops, searches and arrests” to determine if there are systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law.
The investigation intends to review the department’s policies, training, and supervision procedures and the LPD has agreed to comply. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division provided substantial reasons for starting the investigation, including allegations of unwarranted arrests by Lexington officers, use of force against non-threatening individuals, and punitive actions against those who question or document police activities.
The Special Litigation Section of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, will conduct this investigation in accordance with the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The DOJ will look into potential violations under the First, Fourth and 14th Amendments to the US Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the non-discrimination stipulations of the Safe Streets Act.
The population of Lexington is approximately 1600, with roughly 86 percent being Black and having a poverty rate close to thirty percent. Allegations of police misconduct in such communities that experience “racial discrimination and economic disadvantage” are noteworthy. The Civil Rights Division’s Assistant Attorney General affirmed that while police misconduct in smaller communities may not always make headlines, the Department of Justice remains vigilant.
This forms the 11th investigation into law enforcement conduct initiated by the DOJ. Other ongoing investigations include those of the Phoenix Police Department, the Mount Vernon (NY) Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, the New York City Police Department’s Special Victims Division, the Worcester (MA) Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Memphis (TN) Police Department, and the Trenton (NJ) Police Department.
Should the DOJ find sufficient evidence of misconduct, the Department has the ability to file a civil lawsuit “seeking injunctive relief to address the violations”, should it fail to reach an agreement on remedies with LPD. In the contrary situation, where no violations are found, the DOJ is also expected to make such results public.