She said the investigation will look into whether Chicago police have engaged in constitutional violations and whether there has been a pattern of abuse. If a pattern of violations is found, the Justice Department will seek "court-enforceable agreement with the Chicago Police Department," Lynch said.
The attorney general said federal officials want to hear from community members who feel victimized by police, as well as from rank-and-file officers.
"We understand that the same systems that fail community members also fail conscientious officers by creating mistrust between law enforcement and the citizens they are sworn to serve and protect," said Lynch, who was joined at a 9 a.m. Washington, D.C., news conference by Zachary Fardon, the U.S. attorney in Chicago, and Vanita Gupta, the head of Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.