Case: DOJ Investigation of Memphis Police Department

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Case Summary

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 polici…

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)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

Investigation of the Memphis Police Department and the City of Memphis

Dec. 4, 2024

Dec. 4, 2024

Monitor/Expert/Receiver Report

Docket

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Tennessee

Case Type(s):

Policing

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, City

Memphis Police Department, City

Defendant Type(s):

Law-enforcement

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Special Case Type(s):

Out-of-court

Available Documents:

Findings Letter/Report

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Defendant

Nature of Relief:

None

Source of Relief:

None

Issues

General/Misc.:

Disciplinary procedures

Failure to discipline

Failure to train

Pattern or Practice

Racial profiling

Disability and Disability Rights:

Disability, unspecified

Intellectual/developmental disability, unspecified

Mental Illness, Unspecified

Discrimination Basis:

Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)

National origin discrimination

Race discrimination

Affected Race(s):

Black

Policing:

Excessive force

False arrest

Improper treatment of mentally ill suspects

Improper use of canines

Inadequate citizen complaint investigations and procedures

Over/Unlawful Detention (policing)

Pepper/OC Spray (policing)

Restraints : chemical (policing)

Restraints : physical (policing)

Traffic Stops