St. Paul, Minn – Today, Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau announced that she will not discipline the two officers involved in the Jamar Clark shooting, Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze. Previous investigations had already determined Riggenberg and Schwarze would not face criminal charges. However, discipline still could have occurred based on the officers' actions leading up to the shooting.
The following statement can be attributed to Charles Samuelson, Executive Director of the ACLU of Minnesota.
"We are deeply troubled that Officers Riggenberg and Schwarze will not be held accountable for their actions that led to the killing of Jamar Clark. There were many reports that the officers needlessly escalated the situation and used an unsanctioned method to tackle Jamar Clark. That should be enough to warrant discipline. This was the final opportunity for the officers to be held accountable for their actions. This sends a chilling message to all Minneapolis Police officers that the next time they confront a similar situation they should take another life. We are distraught that the Department does not place greater value on Jamar Clark's life and the life of every person its officers encounter. Officers need to start being held accountable for their actions that have led to the deaths of the hundreds of people in Minnesota alone. The system needs to be changed so we can begin to repair the wrongs that have been done to our communities of color and others who have been unnecessarily wronged by our criminal justice system."
The ACLU-MN is a non-profit organization that works to defend the civil liberties of all Minnesotans. Learn more at www.aclu-mn.org
