Justice Department Launches Sweeping Investigation into Louisiana State Police over Excessive Force and Racially Discriminatory Conduct

The Justice Department has opened a comprehensive investigation into the Louisiana State Police, the agency's first federal review of a statewide law enforcement agency in two decades. The probe will cover policies, training, supervision, and systems of accountability, following allegations of excessive force and racially discriminatory conduct, including the fatal beating of Ronald Greene, a Black motorist, in 2019.

The investigation comes amid mounting demands from Black state lawmakers and civil rights activists for the federal government to intervene. The FBI has been conducting a criminal civil rights investigation into the circumstances of Greene's death since 2020. Footage from a state trooper's body camera, leaked to the Associated Press, showed officers beating, dragging, and shocking Greene with a stun gun while he apologized to them after a high-speed chase in Monroe, La.

Key Takeaways:

• The Justice Department's investigation will include a comprehensive review of policies, training, supervision, and systems of accountability within the Louisiana State Police.
• The probe is based on allegations of excessive force and racially discriminatory conduct, including the fatal beating of Ronald Greene, a Black motorist, in 2019.
• The investigation will be coordinated with the U.S. attorneys' offices in the state and managed by the civil rights division.
• The Louisiana State Police have been accused of using racial slurs, employing stun guns in unwarranted circumstances, and using excessive force against people in relatively minor traffic incidents or who were already handcuffed or not resisting.
• The investigation is the fifth "pattern or practice" probe into local police agencies under the Biden administration.
• The Justice Department has informed Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and state police Superintendent Lamar Davis of the investigation.
• Edwards's involvement in Greene's case has come under scrutiny, with allegations that he and his top lawyers viewed body-camera footage without informing prosecutors and detectives.
• The state legislative committee investigating Greene's death has called for swift action in the civil investigation.

Statistics:

• 1,200-member police force being investigated
• 2020: FBI began conducting a criminal civil rights investigation into Greene's death
• 2020: Louisiana police officials told Greene's family he died on impact after driving into a tree
• 1 year: typical duration of pattern and practice probes
• 5: number of "pattern or practice" probes into local police agencies under the Biden administration
• 2 decades: since the Justice Department last conducted a federal review of a statewide law enforcement agency

Sources:

• David Nakamura, "Justice Department to probe Louisiana State Police over deadly force and racial bias allegations" (The Washington Post)
• "Justice Department launches sweeping investigation into Louisiana State Police" (Associated Press)
• "FBI investigates deadly police shooting in Louisiana" (CNN)
• "Louisiana State Police face allegations of excessive force and racial bias" (The New York Times)