Share
News

Minneapolis Commission To Address Potential Dismantling of Police Department

Share

A Minneapolis commission is expected to take up a proposed amendment Wednesday that would dismantle the city’s police department and replace it with a more “holistic” and public health-oriented approach to public safety.

A majority of the Democrat-led City Council backs the idea.

If it advances to the November ballot, voters would get the final say.

The move comes in the wake of the May 25 death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police. Video of an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck led to nationwide demonstrations and riots.

The 15-member volunteer commission could approve the proposal; reject it; propose a substitute; or ask for more time to review it.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

Rejection wouldn’t be fatal, because the City Council isn’t bound by the commission’s decision. But a delay would be, by making it impossible to get the idea onto November’s ballot.

The City Council’s proposal would eliminate the Police Department from the city charter, and replace it with a “Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.”

The new department would prioritize public health, with a director who has “non-law enforcement experience in community safety services.”

It would still allow for armed police officers, but they would answer to the new director.

Do you think it's a good idea to replace police officers with a more "holistic" approach to public safety?

Some members of the commission have worried that the process — which has included two public hearings and online comments — is moving too quickly.

The process has also unfolded during a violent summer in Minneapolis, with shootings dramatically higher than last year and many residents worried about reducing the police force amid surging crime.

Some City Council members have promised a robust process to get public input on how a new department would look and work.

Related:
Multiple Officers Along with 1 Paramedic Shot Dead Responding to Domestic Call: Report

Council member Steve Fletcher, one of the authors of the proposal, said that even if the commission decides it needs more time, the city will continue moving ahead with the community engagement process to “build a collective vision of what we really want the future of public safety to look like.”

If the issue is not on this November’s ballot, Fletcher said, leaders might have to wait until November 2021 to vote on structural changes.

While he conceded voters could reject the idea, he said having it on the 2020 ballot after a few months of public input would give the city a nice “check in” on how people are feeling.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he remains opposed to eliminating the department.

“We should not go down the route of simply abolishing the Police Department,” Frey said. “What we need to see within this department, and within many departments throughout the country, is a full-on culture shift.”

Floyd, a black man who was handcuffed, died after Derek Chauvin, who is white, had his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes.

Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder and other counts, and three other officers at the scene were charged with aiding and abetting. All four officers were fired.

The mayor and Chief Medaria Arradondo have moved ahead with their own changes since Floyd’s death, including requiring officers to document attempts to de-escalate situations. They also have expanded requirements for reporting use-of-force incidents, ordering officers to provide more detail.

Arradondo also pulled the department out of negotiations for a union contract, saying he wanted a review designed to change the grievance and arbitration process, which he said makes it hard to get rid of problem officers.

According to draft language of the amendment posted online, the new department proposed by the City Council “will have responsibility for public safety services prioritizing a holistic, public health-oriented approach.”

The director of the new agency would have “non-law-enforcement experience in community safety services, including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches.”

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , , ,
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation