Minneapolis police face civil rights probe over Floyd death

state of Minnesota on Tuesday launched a civil rights investigation of Minneapolis Police Department in hopes of forcing widespread changes following death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for minutes, even after he stopped moving.

Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota Department of Human Rights anunced filing of formal complaint at a news conference Tuesday afteron.

goverr and Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said y hope to reach agreement with city to identify short-term ways to address police department's history of racial discrimination, and use investigation to find long-term solutions for systemic change.

Lucero said ir goal is to negotiate a consent decree with city that courts could enforce with injunctions and financial penalties.

re are precedents, she said, including a consent decree approved in Chicago last year after US Justice Department found a long history of racial bias and excessive use of force by police.

Widely seen bystander video showing Floyd's death has sparked sometimes violent protests around world. officer, Derek Chauvin, has been fired and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three or officers involved were fired but have t been charged.

“We kw that deeply seated issues exist," goverr said. "And reason I kw it is we saw casual nature of erasing of George Floyd's life and humanity. We also kw by reaction of community. y expected thing to happen, and reason is because thing did happen for so many times.”

Walz said investigation into police department's policies, procedures and practices over past 10 years will determine if force has engd in systemic discrimination toward people of color, and root it out.

Lucero will lead investigation.

All 12 members of Minneapolis City Council endorsed a statement read by Council President Lisa Bender at a news conference later Tuesday in support of investigation.

“We urge state to use its full weight to hold Minneapolis Police Department accountable for any and all abuses of power and harms to our community and stand ready to aid in this process as full partners,” council said.

Mayor Jacob Frey said state's intervention will help break what he called a stalemate on reform.

“For years in Minneapolis, police chiefs and elected officials committed to change have been thwarted by police union protections and laws that severely limit accountability among police departments," Frey said in a statement.

“I welcome today's anuncement because breaking through those persistent barriers, shifting culture of policing, and addressing systemic racism will require all of us working hand in hand.”

A police department spokesman and president of officers' union didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

FBI is also investigating wher police willfully deprived Floyd of his civil rights.

Minnesota Department of Human Rights enforces state's human rights act, particularly as it applies to discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations and public services. Mediation is one of its first-choice tools, but cases it files can lead to fuller investigations and sometimes end up in litigation.

Minneapolis Police Department has faced decades of allegations of brutality and or discrimination against African Americans and or mirities, even within department itself. Critics say its culture resists change, despite elevation of Medaria Arradondo as its first black police chief in 2017.