April 20, 2021
Lansing - James E. White, Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, has issued the following statement in response to the verdict in the trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.
"This conviction brings some measure of justice to George Floyd's family, and to a nation that has grieved for him and so many other people of color unjustly killed at the hands of officers who are sworn to protect them. We now must turn our attention to the kind of reforms necessary to eliminate the embedded bias and structural racism that exists in some police departments. Now begins the work of community restoration and rebuilding trust in policing. We are reaching out to police and community leaders throughout Michigan to address these issues here."
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission.
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