WAND supports letter to Attorney General Barr condemning the murder of George Floyd

In a letter to Attorney General Barr, WAND urges the Department of Justice to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr. Floyd's death as well as the Minneapolis Police Department's (MPD) long history of brutality against Black and Brown individuals in the community it serves. It is neccessary to uncover potential violations of state civil rights laws and to pursure a pattern or practice investigation of MPD for persistent federal civil rights violations. We also urge DOJ to strengthen its role in addressing systemic issues of police misconduct across the country, and to step in if the resolution of the state criminal matter does not sufficiently vindicate the interests of justice. As our nation continues to reel at the string of recent tragedies that have once again highlighted the racial disparities in American policing, it is critical that DOJ use all of the statutes over which it has jurisdiction to take a leading role in demanding accountability from its state and local law enforcement partners.

Read the full letter here.