Attorney General Pam Bondi DOJ Withdraws From Police Reform Agreements in Minneapolis and Louisville

The U.S. Department of Justice, now under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has announced plans to withdraw from federal police reform agreements with the cities of Minneapolis and Louisville. These settlements were created in response to the 2020 deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

Why Were These Agreements Made?

The agreements, known as consent decrees, were signed after federal investigations found serious issues in both police departments. The goal was to improve officer training, reduce violent force, and increase accountability. They required court supervision to ensure that police departments followed through on changes.

In January 2025, during the final days of the Biden administration, the Justice Department signed the Minneapolis agreement to push for major reforms. But after the new administration took over, it paused the agreement to review its position.

DOJ Officially Ends Minneapolis Reform Agreement

On Wednesday, the Justice Department told a federal court in Minnesota that it is ending the consent decree there. In a legal filing, Andrew Darlington, acting chief of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, wrote that the federal government “will no longer prosecute this matter.”

A similar motion is expected soon in Kentucky, to end the federal agreement with the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Reactions and What Happens Now

This move comes just days before the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death on May 25, which sparked global protests and demands for racial justice and police change.

Despite the federal withdrawal, Minneapolis is still required to follow a separate consent decree signed in 2023 with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR). This agreement followed a state investigation that found years of racial discrimination in the city’s police department.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has pledged to continue following the reforms listed in the original federal agreement, even though the DOJ has pulled out.

Rebecca Lucero, the state’s Human Rights Commissioner, said the state-level consent decree is still legally binding and will continue to be enforced.

“The city and MPD must make transformational changes to address race-based policing,” she said.

This is a developing story. Updates will be shared as more information becomes available.