Residents of Lexington, Miss., were afraid at first to talk to Justice Dept. investigators about abusive policing. On Thursday night, they celebrated together.

The police in the small city of Lexington, Miss., routinely made unjustified arrests, used excessive force and trampled on civil rights, investigators said.

A Justice Department investigation has found that police in a majority Black Mississippi city discriminate against Black people, use excessive force and retaliate against people who criticize them.