A Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation has uncovered widespread civil rights violations by the Lexington Police Department (LPD) in Mississippi, revealing discriminatory practices against Black residents, sexual harassment of women, and numerous other abuses of power, according to a report released on Thursday.
Attorney General Merrick Garland addressed the findings, stating, “Today’s findings show that the Lexington Police Department abandoned its sacred position of trust in the community by routinely violating the constitutional rights of those it was sworn to protect.”
The investigation, launched in November 2023, found that LPD officers engaged in a systematic pattern of discrimination, particularly targeting the city’s Black population. Officers were found to have used excessive force, conducted illegal stops and searches, and retaliated against those who spoke out against them. Additionally, the report noted that women, all of whom were Black, were sexually harassed by officers, with both victims and former LPD officers providing credible and consistent testimony.
The city of Lexington, which has a majority-Black population, and its police department have reportedly cooperated with the investigation, expressing a willingness to address the violations identified by the DOJ.
Among the violations, the report highlighted that LPD officers regularly conducted arrests and searches without probable cause. One of the more alarming examples involved officers breaking down a Black man’s door to arrest him for swearing at a public official, while another case involved a man being tased in his own home for a minor traffic offense.
The DOJ also found a significant conflict of interest in the department’s funding model, which is largely dependent on revenue generated from enforcement actions. This has led to an inflated arrest rate in Lexington, where nearly one arrest is made for every four residents, ten times the state’s average. Most arrests were for low-level offenses or traffic violations, but the tactics used were often extreme and inappropriate for the nature of the offenses.
Additionally, the report revealed a lack of accountability within the LPD, with no meaningful system in place to monitor or check the department’s misconduct, contributing to the unchecked abuse of power. The city’s financial burden has also increased, with Lexington owing $1.7 million to the police department due to its overreliance on enforcement to generate revenue.
Despite the serious findings, Lexington Police Chief Charles Henderson was not available to comment on the DOJ’s report.
The investigation has prompted calls for reform and increased scrutiny of the department’s practices to ensure the protection of constitutional rights for the residents of Lexington.
