Today, the US Department of Justice announced an investigation of the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department for use of deadly force, retaliation against protestors, and discriminatory policing. During this announcement, the Attorney General and Justice Department also made sure to cover their bases by conceding that they will reach out to “community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with the Phoenix Police Department.” However, the first step taken by the DOJ was to speak with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Police Chief Jeri Williams instead.
The absence of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in this investigation and the collusion between MCAO and PPD is a glaring omission. Maricopa County Attorney, Allister Adel, and her office’s unconstitutional and malicious prosecution of its political opponents are integral to any investigation of misconduct by law enforcement in Phoenix. It is the unholy union between these two agencies that has terrorized communities and is at the heart of the complaints the DOJ is here to investigate.
Several hours after the announcement, the Assistant Attorney General, Kristen Clarke, convened a conference call with so-called community stakeholders to talk about the investigation and answer questions. Mass Liberation Arizona was in attendance, despite not having been directly invited to the call. During the call, Mass Liberation AZ’s leadership put AAG Clarke and the DOJ team on notice that the Phoenix community will not tolerate a ceremonial investigation where the DOJ legitimizes the PPD by allocating more funding for “reform” measures with no actual accountability or transformation, and that no meaningful investigation could occur unless it includes MCAO and Allister Adel.
We already know how the DOJ’s “pattern or practice” investigations have turned out in other places. This investigation claims to be allying with people directly impacted by the harm imposed by the PPD, but already misses the mark. Unless it is accountable to Black and directly impacted people, the DOJ will ultimately retraumatize Black communities while derailing the actual advocacy work for police accountability that we have been building in Phoenix for decades.
We want to be clear that there is no such thing as “non-discriminatory policing” and we will never trust an investigation of police when it’s led by police. Policing is inherently anti-Black and inherently violent. It is especially disrespectful that this announcement has been timed on the eve of the anniversary of Michael Brown’s murder and the resulting resistance on the ground in Ferguson which lasted 400 straight days. We will not be pacified by this theatrical showing. We expect nothing less than our demands!
This investigation that claims to be allying with the people will ultimately retraumatize Black communities while derailing the actual advocacy work for police accountability that we have been building in Phoenix for decades. It is especially disrespectful that this announcement has been timed to nearly the exact moment of the anniversary of Michael Brown’s murder and the people’s response on the ground that lasted 400 days. We will not be pacified by this ceremonial showing.
We expect nothing less than our demands!