Minneapolis city leaders and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights announcing a court-enforceable settlement agreement to transform how the Minneapolis police department operates.
Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero says everything is getting a mandatory overhaul.
"The city cannot walk away from this agreement," says Lucero. "It is only the court who can and will end this agreement after the city reaches full, effective and sustained compliance with this agreement."
Changes have been in the works since the 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Mayor Jacob Frey says the policy changes and training requirements are major undertakings that will take a long time to implement, and he's asking for faith in the process even when times get tough.
“I’m asking you that when we are faced with a violent weekend, or shootings take place, that should not result in a call for this agreement to be undone in its entirety,” says Frey. “Officers will make mistakes. Mistakes themselves shouldn’t be a call for the agreement to be undone.
The changes follow a scathing report from the Human Rights Department that found serious problems with the department's training mechanisms and pervasive racial discrimination in areas like traffic stops. The legally-binding agreement addresses those issues while aiming to shift the culture within the MPD.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says a key component of the reorganization is a robust accountability system.
“Ultimately, you have to prove to near perfection, to an independent evaluator, and independent monitor, that your cops are actually carrying this out,” says O’Hara. “We know the hard work is just beginning. But I believe at the end of this process, Minneapolis will have the best police department in the nation. Our city will be safer. And the police and all communities of this city will be more united than ever before.”
The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Friday to approve a legal agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights that would change how the police department functions.
"This is the legacy of George Floyd," City Council President Andrea Jenkins said.
An official consent decree would determine police department practices moving forward that are legally enforceable.
The U.S. Department of Justice is doing its own investigation into whether or not the MPD has engaged in unlawful practices.
The process of the settlement agreement between the City of Minneapolis and the Department of Human Rights.(Image: City of Minneapolis)
According to the settlement, the city will need to:
Put limitations on the Minneapolis Police Department's use-of-force and focus on de-escalation.
Limit stops, searches and arrests.
Implement use requirements for body-worn cameras.
Reform police training and review and update the department’s policies.
Adopt non-discriminatory policing guidelines covering all protected classes along with increasing support for officer wellness.
The settlement also calls for increased mental and behavioral crisis support in the field, including a behavioral health crisis response team.
