Sondra Samuels is one of eight North Minneapolis residents that has been engaged in a long legal battle to push Minneapolis to staff more officers.
“So I feel like we've done our part as citizens to make sure the law demanded that we be safe in terms of the staffing,” Samuels told WCCO Radio’s Drivetime with DeRusha Tuesday.
The case is being dropped by the eight residents with Samuels saying now necessary action is underway with Mayor Frey’s budget proposal. That proposal provides funds to fully staff the department, and that left them with nothing more to push for in the suit.
The case made its way to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which ruled in June that Minneapolis must hire a minimum of 731 police officers or explain in court why it can't.
Now Samuels says that group's attention can turn elsewhere.
“We're very keen on watching closely what the city council does,” Samuels explains.
Frey’s proposed a $3.3 billion budget for 2023 and 2024. Of that money, around $400 million is set aside for the Minneapolis Police Department.
Frey’s proposed police budget includes money to cover the costs of four recruiting classes to bring in 160 officers each year, covering roughly 731 officers in 2023 and 835 in 2024. The force now has under 600 officers after it saw a mass exodus starting in 2020.
The proposals come on the back of a 6.5% tax increase levy, which would raise the annual tax bill on the median homeowner by $167.
Mayor Frey and the city council negotiate the full budget in December.
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