Proposal to give Minneapolis City Council more control of police moves forward

The Minneapolis City Council moved forward a charter amendment that would give the council more control over the Minneapolis Police Department.

The council voted 10-2 after a sometimes contentious hearing to refer the amendment to the intergovernmental relations and public safety committees.

There's been significant opposition to the proposed change in the charter, which Council Member Cam Gordon says he'd like to put before voters in November.

Gordon described the proposal as a way to modernize the police department's operation and draw the relationship more in line with how the council interacts with other city departments.

"What I see this as doing is opening up a door, a door for council members to bring ideas in about police policy, and a door for greater transparency about them and formality about them once they're set," Gordon said.

Mayor Jacob Frey and allies on the council have opposed the change, saying it would interfere with the mayor's ability to act quickly in public safety situations. Frey told the council Friday that changing the charter is an unprecedented move "that should be thoroughly considered and thoroughly thought through."

In a joint statement, Frey and Chief Medaria Arradondo said they want to collaborate with the council but are disappointed that the proposal moved forward.

"Let us be clear: passing this amendment will make both of our jobs more difficult to effectively perform," they said.

Council Member Linea Palmisano questioned how the proposal would be implemented. She tried to postpone it indefinitely, but was voted down.

"I think it is fundamentally irresponsible to put something on the ballot or to look to change our charter without a really healthy, long discussion about it," Palmisano said.

Council Member Phillipe Cunningham said Friday's vote was not to put the question on the ballot, but to start the "legislative process and conversation about what a more transparent, accountable governance of policing would look like."

The proposal must go through a number of steps before it gets on the ballot. It needs to be finalized in the committees, referred to the charter committee and then passed in final form by the entire council. The mayor will also have the opportunity to veto it, which requires nine votes to overturn.

The proposal emerged this year at a council hearing attended by family and friends of Thurman Blevins, who was shot and killed by Minneapolis police officers on June 23.