Nearly two-years after breaking ties with the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of George Floyd's murder, the Minneapolis Park Board voted on Wednesday to restore its working relationship with MPD ahead of a jampacked summer of events at city parks.
Commissioners voted 5-3, with one commissioner abstaining, to have Minneapolis Police officers staff park events and once again allow park police to assist MPD.
The vote came in the wake of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights report that found "probable cause" that MPD engaged in a practice of race discrimination.
"I don't think characterizing it as more [MPD officers] is accurate," said Park Police Chief, Jason Ohotto. "We have baseline protocols in place around the number of officers that are required for certain activities and events. We're trying to meet those baselines."
Ohotto told the commissioners that there aren't enough Park Police to fully staff events without supplemental help from outside agencies.
"We have a scarcity of resources internally," added Ohotto. "So in order to hit those baselines, we need supplemental help. It's not about putting more officers at events. It's about hitting those thresholds."
At-Large Commissioner Tom Olsen was among the three that voted against restoring the relationship with MPD. He said he couldn't support the vote, especially after the MDHR report.
"I can't endorse working with this racist police department," Olsen said. "Going forward I hope we can pursue this effectively."
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Commissioner Cathy Abene was among those who voted in favor of the measure.
"This is about community and really only about the largest of the events. Bringing them back would be so important for the community," Abene said.
Abene added that the MDHR report did not reflect the actions of every Minneapolis police officer.
"It's not all of the individual members of the police force who have those behaviors. It is some, and they're terrible and they need to be rooted out."
MPRB had requested additional aid from the Minnesota State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, which declined the request.