Judge OKs state plan to monitor MPD, overhaul policing
Updated: 7:55 p.m.
A Hennepin County judge on Thursday approved a plan for court oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department — one that state human rights officials say will compel the MPD to make “transformational changes” around public safety and racial discrimination.
Among its provisions, the agreement calls for a redefinition of the use of force and limits on the use of Tasers and traffic stops.
It “captures the scope of the necessary work ahead to address race-based policing, a plague on our City that harms everyone, especially people of color and Indigenous community members,” Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero in a statement.
Lucero’s department last year published a scathing report that concluded there was widespread racial discrimination in the MPD. U.S. Justice Department investigators later reached similar conclusions.
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The city and the Minnesota Human Rights department are now in the process of hiring independent monitors to oversee both the state agreement, and an expected federal consent decree.
The push for judicial oversight of the city’s police force began after a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd while Floyd was in police custody in May 2020.
Remaking policing will be a major undertaking, but “we are motivated to make sure that policing in Minneapolis is what the community expects,” said Minneapolis City Attorney Kristyn Anderson.
Once the independent evaluator is in place, the focus will turn to the agreed-to policy changes in the settlement, she added. “Really, you've got to change the policy before you can train on the policy.”
The Rev. Ian Bethel has worked with Minneapolis police for nearly two decades on police reforms. Bethel is most concerned about a lack of resources and follow-through on the part of the city of Minneapolis.
“It’s going to remain an issue of compliance and the community must be involved and must have a say with compliance,” Bethel said.
Labor attorney Jim Michels, who has represented the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis for decades, said rank and file officers have many of the same concerns as community members.
“Which is, is the city going to actually follow through and do this stuff or is this just one more agreement that is lip service, and you know, five years from now we’re going to look and say, ‘Well, there was another opportunity lost, because nothing changed,’” Michels said.
Some community groups were concerned that the court-enforceable agreement would affect existing laws around data practices and collective bargaining agreements. But the city and state assured Judge Janisch the settlement agreement will not result in changes to those laws.
The judge said what Minneapolis and the state come up with could be a model for other cities.
“I am going to hope that the city is up to that task and that you can find good people to be able to carry this forward.”
Assistant Attorney General Megan McKenzie said the agreement can’t undo harm done by the Minneapolis Police Department.
“What we can do is give officers the training and tools they need to be successful,” McKenzie said. “We can through our collective and sustained efforts remake the relationship between the citizens of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department so everyone benefits from lawful non-discriminatory policing and better public safety.”