• The DOJ has opted to withdraw from police reform settlements in Minneapolis and Louisville.
• This decision follows the murder of George Floyd and aims to address systemic police issues.
• Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed adherence to existing reform measures despite the DOJ's actions.

The U.S. Justice Department announced plans to withdraw from federal settlement agreements aimed at overhauling police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, citing a lack of public interest in pursuing these consent decrees. The decision comes just ahead of the five-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder, which ignited widespread protests and demands for police reform across the nation. The consent decrees were established in response to sweeping investigations revealing systemic failures within these police departments, particularly relating to training and use-of-force policies, according to HuffPost and Newsweek.

The Trump administration had previously secured a delay in the implementation of the Minneapolis consent decree while evaluating its legal options. On Wednesday, the DOJ informed the federal court that it would no longer pursue the agreement, reiterating that it's no longer seen as beneficial for the public. This announcement is part of a broader strategy as the administration also plans to file a similar motion concerning the Louisville agreement, according to Los Angeles Times and Newsweek.

Despite the federal government's withdrawal, the Minneapolis Police Department remains bound by a separate consent decree with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, established in 2023 after findings of racial discrimination within the police force. Police Chief Brian O'Hara indicated that his department would continue to adhere to the terms of the original consent decree that was signed earlier, regardless of the Trump administration's withdrawal from the federal agreement, reaffirming his commitment to police reform, as reiterated by the state’s Human Rights Commissioner, who emphasized ongoing transformational changes in policing practices, according to HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, and Newsweek.