LOUISIANA, USA — The Louisiana State Police is now in the crosshairs of a statewide federal civil rights investigation.
The U.S. Department of Justice wants to know if the state troopers have engaged in a pattern or practice of using excessive force and racially discriminatory practices against African Americans and other people of color.
Thursday, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke announced the DOJ investigation at a news conference in Baton Rouge.
“After an extensive review of publicly available information, provided to us, we find significant justification to open this investigation now,” Clarke said.
DOJ is looking into reports that state troopers are targeting black residents in their traffic enforcement and in the use of force.
“In some cases, the injuries these individuals suffered were severe, including the death of at least one individual,” Clarke said.
The LSP’s own tally shows that in recent years 67% of its uses of force were against black people.
Three years ago, motorist Ronald Greene died during a violent arrest and beating by state police.
In another case, former state trooper Jacob Brown was charged with a civil rights violation for allegedly striking another black man 18 times with a flashlight during a traffic stop.
The 2019 beating left Aaron Bowman with a broken jaw, broken ribs, and a gash to his head.
Attorney Ron Haley represents Bowman and the Greene family.
“There’s been a consistent theme of action, inaction and coverup in the cases we’ve been involved in,” Haley said. “It seems to be par for the course.”
An investigation by the Associated Press found at least a dozen cases over the past decade in which state police troopers or their bosses ignored or concealed evidence of beatings, deflected blame and impeded efforts to root out misconduct.
Haley called the federal investigation a monumental first step to getting sweeping change within the LSP.
“There is an obvious and unwritten bias against black and brown people in the way that they are policed, and this is a trend that is not only for the state of Louisiana, but around the country,” Haley said.
The investigation is separate from any federal criminal investigation of LSP troopers.
All three Louisiana U.S. Attorneys are involved in the case.
“No one should be deprived of the protections of our federal and state constitutions,” said Duane Evans, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Under the law, we are all equal and entitled to just, efficient, consistent and constitutional law enforcement.”
If violations are found DOJ could file suit seeking a consent decree and federal monitor to enforce sweeping changes within the state police.
Governor John Bel Edwards and State Police Superintendent Lamar Davis were briefed shortly before the feds announced the civil investigation.
The governor released a statement in part saying, “It is deeply troubling that allegations of systemic misconduct exist that would warrant this type of investigation, but it is absolutely critical that all Louisianans, especially African Americans and other people of color, have their faith, confidence, and trust in public safety officers restored.”
Col Davis offered the LSP’s full cooperation.
He said, “As our agency moves forward, we have taken great strides in amending policies such as banning chokeholds, banning the use of impact weapons to the head and neck, instituting a duty to intervene policy, and defining accountability for supervisors to review, track, and report excessive force incidents.”
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