The Phoenix Police Department has been found to engage in excessive force, violate constitutional rights, particularly those of homeless individuals, and discriminate against Black, Hispanic, and Native American communities. This is according to an investigation by the Justice Department, the results of which were released on Thursday.
The Justice Department identified a “pattern or practice” of violations, noting that Phoenix police often stop, detain, and arrest homeless individuals without reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. Furthermore, the city and its police force seize and destroy the belongings of homeless people without proper notice or the chance to reclaim their property, the report stated.
