After feds decline civil rights prosecution in Clark case, what now?

Now that federal authorities have decided not to charge two Minneapolis officers with violating the civil rights of 24-year-old Jamar Clark, some in the community are wondering what to do next.

U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said there wasn't enough evidence to show the two officers willfully violated Clark's civil rights in the fatal November shooting.

Luger said federal investigators combed through the evidence and interviewed witnesses who gave conflicting testimony on whether Clark was handcuffed. He also said an independent forensic review did not conclusively show Clark was handcuffed.

Luger said the investigation is complete, but he doesn't want the effort to end there.

"All of us involved in the past number of months want to work to address the deep concerns that have become evident so that we can have a healthy and productive dialogue that can prevent such tragedies in the future," he said.

He plans to start a pilot program to discuss the use of force by police. Luger and FBI agents will meet with some community and religious leaders about the issues raised by the case.

But dialogue may be hard to come by. Minneapolis NAACP President Nekima Levy-Pounds led many demonstrations after Clark was shot. She spoke right after Luger's announcement.

"We are asking for those that are politically-savvy to run for office, because our government leaders have clearly let us down."

Levy-Pounds said she won't participate in the discussions with Luger. She sees bigger issues at stake.

"We are sick and tired of those that we elect to do their jobs, continuing to maintain the status quo and rubber stamping the status quo — and allowing these things to happen," she said. "It's time for a paradigm shift. We need to be the change that we want to see."

But Richard Howell, a pastor at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in north Minneapolis, a friend of Clark's family, said he welcomes discussion on police relations and use of force.

"I believe that if something is not done, we could be in an exasperated situation, that will cause even more fear in their community," he said. "No one should have to be afraid to live in their own community. But there has to be a greater relationship between police and community."

Two key Minneapolis leaders declined interview requests regarding the federal probe they requested soon after Clark was shot. Mayor Betsy Hodges and Police Chief Janeé Harteau released a written statement saying an internal affairs investigation continues.

The investigation, in part, centers on whether officers followed department procedures, including the takedown tactic used on Clark.

Blong Yang, who represents north Minneapolis, pointed to the council funding the purchase of body cameras and its repeal of low-level spitting and lurking laws, which were seen as tools to unfairly target people of color. He said police leaders are revisiting their use of force policies.

"Maybe 10 years from now we'll know whether our efforts have bore any fruit," he said. "But I feel strongly that people are trying to push our Police Department to become better."

Minneapolis police union president Lt. Bob Kroll said he'd be open to participating in the dialogue that Luger proposes.

"We're open to trying to improve relations, but you can't take an incident like Jamar Clark and say police community relations are broken, because truly they're not," he said. "I mean, they encountered a violent man and it ended in a violent ending. That's the facts of the matter."

The city budgeted $300,000 last year to train police to recognize bias.

Yang said perceptions need dramatic change.

"Both sides need to figure out some middle ground. I know that folks are really entrenched on their ends. Cops tend to see people at their worst and people tend to see cops at maybe their worst times, so they see things as not as what they are but probably what they wish," he said. "And so it's tough, it's a tough situation."

There's one more federal review to come. The U.S. Department of Justice is looking the Police Department's handling of weekslong protests after the Clark shooting.