Five Minneapolis council members propose letting voters decide future of MPD

[alp227]

Source: Star Tribune

Minneapolis voters would decide in November whether to eliminate the city charter's requirement for police staffing and replace it with a new department "to provide for community safety and violence prevention," under a proposal floated Friday by five City Council members.

The announcement comes at a time when council members are facing pressure to explain their plan to "begin the process of ending" the Minneapolis Police Department following George Floyd's death.

The council and a separate body, the Minneapolis Charter Commission, would need to work under an expedited schedule, as they face a tight deadline to add items to the November ballot. The city's charter, in essence its constitution, requires City Council to fund a minimum number of police officers.

Council Member Jeremiah Ellison said he still expects to spend a year seeking feedback from the community about how they want to change the Minneapolis Police Department but fears that if they don't remove that charter provision, it will hamper their efforts.

Read more: https://www.startribune.com/plan-would-put-removal-of-mpd-requirement-to-mpls-voters/571217412/

[ibegurpard]

1. That sounds reasonable

Instead of blanket nationwide calls to "defund the police."

[Jose Garcia]

2. So, what happens if it is rejected by the voters?

[murielm99]

3. If their leadership is any good at all,

they will continue to listen to the public and to pass laws that will facilitate change. I have faith that we have reached the point that this will happen in many places.

Will there be lasting change? I think it will be an ongoing process. As the demographics change in our country, more changes will happen that may work.

[Igel]

4. I can't help but wonder if maybe a city lawyer talked to them.

And said that discussing council business in private as a subgroup of the full council violates some law.

Sunshine laws and all that.