The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has abruptly ended negotiations for court-enforced police reform agreements in Minneapolis and Louisville, two cities central to the 2020 protests against systemic racism and police violence. The decision reverses efforts to address civil rights violations documented in high-profile cases involving the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Federal authorities also closed investigations into alleged misconduct by police departments in Phoenix, Memphis, and four other U.S. cities, retracting prior findings of wrongdoing. The move, announced days before the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s murder, drew sharp criticism from civil rights advocates who argue it undermines accountability.
Harmeet Dhillon, the DOJ official overseeing the Civil Rights Division, defended the decision, stating that consent decrees “divest local control of policing from communities” and empower “unelected bureaucrats with anti-police agendas.” Critics counter that the reversal risks eroding trust in law enforcement, particularly among marginalized communities.
The Minneapolis case stemmed from the May 25, 2020, killing of George Floyd, whose death under an officer’s knee ignited global protests. Louisville’s investigation followed the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor during a botched police raid. Both cases became symbols of demands for racial justice and policing reforms across the U.S. and internationally.
