DOJ drops misconduct investigation into OKC police, ending potential for costly federal oversight

The Oklahoma City Police Department is no longer under the scrutiny of the U.S. Department of Justice. The government agency announced the repeal of a Biden-era investigation on Wednesday, dismissing the DOJ's misconduct lawsuit against the city.

The President of the department's Fraternal Order of Police Mark Nelson said DOJ retracting the investigation will save the city hundreds of millions of dollars from having to enter into a consent decree with the federal government.

The DOJ launched an investigation into the department’s policing practices in 2022 after receiving a complaint. A 43-page report released earlier this year stated the department discriminated against citizens in mental health crisis and did not have adequate resources for them. The report detailed a path forward.

“I think there were some good conclusions that have been drawn from what the department was already looking into prior to the investigation,” said Mark Nelson, OKC FOP President.

However, Nelson agrees with the DOJ's reasoning for dismissing the investigation. Oklahoma City was one of eight police departments across the country to be notified of the DOJ's decision.

“The current administration felt that those facts were cherry picked, there was flawed methodology that went into the findings,” said Nelson.

Nelson said the end of the Biden-era investigation eliminated the possibility of a consent decree. He said if the city went into negotiations with the federal government to avoid a lawsuit it would be a long and costly process.

“Do we need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to have some fed monitor that? No, that needs to stay here in Oklahoma City,” said Nelson. “That money can now be put into continued efforts of improving public safety, training, hiring.”

Oklahoma City police department officials issued this statement in response to the DOJ’s announcement.

Today, the Oklahoma City Police Department received notice of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) decision to formally retract its previous findings and close its investigation into the department’s response to individuals with behavioral health disabilities.

Even before the USDOJ announced its investigation in November 2022, the department had already begun implementing, or was in the process of implementing, several key initiatives aimed at improving mental health response. The proactive efforts reflect the department’s ongoing commitment to better serving individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.

The Oklahoma City Police Department will remain dedicated to providing effective support to individuals in crisis and collaborating closely with community members and internal partners to ensure those requiring assistance receive the appropriate response and care.

The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division dismissed lawsuits against Minneapolis, Minnesota police in response to George Floyd's death and Louisville, Kentucky police related to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor. 

The full press conference is available below.