Public Safety · Lexington, MS
DOJ Reaches Settlement With Lexington, Mississippi Police Over Civil Rights Violations
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday a settlement requiring the City of Lexington, Mississippi, and its police department to reform practices on fines, bail, stops, searches, and use of force following a 2024 DOJ report that found routine civil rights violations against Black residents. The agreement bars jailing people for unpaid fines without assessing ability to pay, requires dismissal of over 650 existing fine-related warrants (roughly half the city's population), and prohibits arrest or citation quotas. Lexington police must also implement DOJ-approved training and documentation systems. The three-year agreement can be shortened or extended based on compliance.