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On July 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a civil pattern or practice investigation into the City of Memphis, Tennessee (the City) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD). The announcement came six months after the city of Memphis released video of the brutal beating of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols by Memphis police officers. The DOJ announced the investigation would focus on MPD’s use of force, its stops, searches, and arrests, and whether MPD engaged in discriminatory policing.
On December 4, 2024, the DOJ released its findings report and announced that it had reasonable cause to believe that MPD and the City engaged in a pattern or practice that violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law. Specifically, the DOJ found that the MPD used excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment in a number of ways: escalating low-level and traffic offenses; unreasonably using Tasers, pepper spray, and other less-lethal weapons; using unjustified neck restraints; using unreasonable force on people under control or restrained; unreasonably shooting at people and cars after placing themselves in dangerous situations, and; responding with force to insults, disrespect, or “verbal resistance.” The DOJ also found that the MPD unlawfully discriminated against Black people when enforcing the law, that the City and MPD unlawfully discriminated in their response to people with behavioral health disabilities, and that the MPD unnecessarily escalated encounters with children. Additionally, the DOJ found that the MPD conducted unlawful stops, searches, and arrests.
The DOJ identified deficiencies in MPD’s accountability, policies, supervision, and training that contributed to the issues. The report concluded with recommended remedial measures to address the legal violations described in the report.
On May 21, 2025, the DOJ– under the Trump administration–closed its investigation of MPD and the City and retracted its findings of constitutional violations. The investigation is now closed.
Summary Authors
Avery Coombe (10/18/2025)
State / Territory: Tennessee
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Reversing Course on Existing Litigation
Key Dates
Closing Date: May 21, 2025
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
United States Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Memphis Police Department, City
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Special Case Type(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Disability and Disability Rights:
Intellectual/developmental disability, unspecified
Discrimination Basis:
Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)
National origin discrimination
Affected Race(s):
Policing:
Improper treatment of mentally ill suspects
Inadequate citizen complaint investigations and procedures
Over/Unlawful Detention (policing)
Restraints : chemical (policing)