CITY OF SOUTH BEND
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
July 1, 2019
Eric S. Dreiband
Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Assistant Attorney General Dreiband,
I am the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana. On Sunday, June 16, 2019, a member of our community,
Eric Logan, was shot by another member of our community, South Bend Police Officer Ryan
O’Neill.
The tragedy has touched off a painful discussion in our community about race, policing, and
violence. Many South Bend residents, concerned about racial issues and their impact on our
department, believe that the Department of Justice could be of assistance. As Mayor of South
Bend, I consider it imperative that there be absolutely no racism in our city’s Police Department,
and I welcome support in ensuring that no appearance or reality of racial bias impact our City’s law
enforcement.
In accordance with our protocol for officer-involved shootings, an investigation was launched by
the St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit (“CMHU”). Last week, our County Prosecutor, who
oversees this unit, announced that the matter will be turned over to a special prosecutor to
determine if criminal charges are appropriate. Even as we await the naming of a special prosecutor,
many in the community continue to urge me to contact your Department.
I welcome the opportunity to learn more about ways the U.S. Department of Justice could assist
our community. I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss this further.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,

Pete Buttigieg

1400 COUNTY-CITY BUILDING ∙ 227 W. JEFFERSON BOULEVARD ∙ SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 46601
PHONE 574/235-9261 ∙ FAX 574/235-9892 ∙ TTY 574/235-5567