DOJ reaches settlement with Mississippi police department it found routinely violated civil rights

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement on Friday, imposing reforms on a Mississippi city and its police department. The DOJ found the Lexington Police Department had routinely violated citizens' civil rights. The rural, poor, majority-Black city sits about 65 miles north of the state capital.

The settlement mandates reforms ranging from fines and bail to stops, searches, and the use of force. The deal requires the City of Lexington and its police department to bring their practices into compliance with state and federal law. The DOJ's 2024 report detailed numerous violations, including excessive arrests, especially of Black people, use of excessive force, and retaliation against critics.

The city court issued arrest warrants for over 650 people, half the city's population, for unpaid fines. The agreement bars the Lexington police from jailing individuals for unpaid fines without assessing their ability to pay, a practice that violates the Fourteenth Amendment. The city and the police department must also dismiss all unlawful fine-based convictions and remove any quota or incentive systems for stops, warnings, citations, arrests, or related revenue.

The DOJ will provide DOJ-approved trainings on stops, searches, arrests, and use of force, along with documentation and review systems to ensure lawful actions. U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger stated that these reforms aim to address the investigation's concerns, strengthen public trust, and promote practices that respect the rights and dignity of everyone.