Video: Sessions seeks to 'pull back' on some civil rights investigations of police

REPORTER: IT WOULD BE FAIR TO
SAY THAT FEDERAL POLICE
INVESTIGATIONS ARE PART OF
FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LEGACY.
HIS ADMINISTRATION'S CIVIL
RIGHTS INQUIRIES INTO POLICE
DEPARTMENTS LED TO CONSENT
DECREES IN SEVERAL CITIES,
INCLUDING BALTIMORE.
AFTER THE DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY.
BUT, IN HIS SPEECH TO STATE
ATTORNEYS GENERAL TUESDAY IN
WASHINGTON, NEW U.S. ATTORNEY
GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS TALKED
ABOUT THE IMPACT HE THINKS THE
MOVES HAVE HAD ON POLICE
DEPARTMENTS.
>> WHERE YOU SEE THE GREATEST
INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AND MURDERS
IN CITIES IS SOMEHOW, SOME WAY,
WE UNDERMINE THE RESPECT FOR OUR
POLICE.
REPORTER: SESSIONS SAID THAT HIS
DEPARTMENT, WOULD PULL BACK.
TO QUOTE, HELP POLICE
DEPARTMENTS GET BETTER.
>> SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND
PULL BACK ON SOME OF THAT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S WRONG OR MEAN
OR INSENSITIVE TO CIVIL RIGHTS
OR HUMAN RIGHTS.
>> THAT WAS THE REASON TO PUSH
ON THE MAYOR, AND THE CITY AND
THE DOJ TO GET THIS THING SIGNED
.
REPORTER: THERE IS NO INDICATION
THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY CHANGE
TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S
POSITION ON BALTIMORE'S CONSENT
DECREE.
BUT SESSION'S COMMENTS DO SEND A
MESSAGE, ACCORDING TO RAY KELL
WITH THE 'NO BOUNDARIES
COALITION.'
THE GROUP SUBMITTED REPORTS TO
THE DOJ, DURING THE CONSENT
DECREE PROCESS.
>> HE FEELS THAT WE HINDER THE
POLICE, BY DEMANDING REFORMS,
AND PUSHING FOR THE POLICE TO DO
MORE CONSTITUTIONAL, HE'S NOT
SEEING THE ROOT ISSUES LIKE WE
ARE THAT CAUSE THESE TYPES OF
PARADIGMS AND DYNAMICS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
REPORTER: THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REMARKS
TODAY.
A PULIC HEARING ON THE CONSENT
AGREEMENT IS SET FOR APRIL.

Video: Sessions seeks to 'pull back' on some civil rights investigations of police

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