Minneapolis City Council to hold emergency meeting Friday to discuss framework for systemic change, MPD
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Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council said they are holding a special emergency meeting to approve court order outlining changes for the Minneapolis Police Department and framework for systemic change.
Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero and the Minneapolis Civil Rights Director Velma Korbel will brief the City Council Friday on the next steps for the state investigation into the MPD. The City Council will also vote on a court order, stipulating changes for the department and a framework for systemic change as part of the state’s longer-term investigation, according to a news release.
Two Minneapolis City Council members have tweeted this week that they’re looking to make serious changes to, or possibly eliminate, the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd’s death last week.
Tuesday, Ward 3 representative Steve Fletcher tweeted, "I don’t know yet, though several of us on the council are working on find out, what it would take to disband the MPD and start fresh with a community-oriented, non-violent public safety and outreach capacity."
I don’t know yet, though several of us on the council are working on finding out, what it would take to disband the MPD and start fresh with a community-oriented, non-violent public safety and outreach capacity.
— Steve Fletcher – Minneapolis Ward 3 (@MplsWard3) June 2, 2020
Thursday, Ward 5 representative Jeremiah Ellison tweeted, "We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together. We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. It’s really past due."
We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department.
— Jeremiah Ellison (@jeremiah4north) June 4, 2020
And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together.
We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response.
It’s really past due. https://t.co/7WIxUL6W79
Ellison’s tweet came shortly before the start of a private memorial service for Floyd at North Central University in Minneapolis.
Floyd died near 38th Street and Chicago Avenue on Memorial Day after being taken into custody by police. The four officers involved — Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng — have all been fired, arrested and charged in Floyd's death ...
Later Thursday, Lisa Bender, the Minneapolis City Council president and Ward 10 representative, tweeted, "Yes. We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety."
Yes. We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety. https://t.co/FCfjoPy64k
— Lisa Bender (@lisabendermpls) June 4, 2020
Floyd died near 38th Street and Chicago Avenue on Memorial Day after being taken into custody by police. The four officers involved — Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J Alexander Kueng — have all been fired, arrested and charged in Floyd’s death.
Additional officers charged in George Floyd’s death to make first court appearance
Chauvin was the officer shown in a video circulated online with his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. He’s charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The other three former officers are each charged with unintentional aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
It’s unclear exactly what the council members plan to do and if there is any similar support from other city council members.
The meeting will take place Friday at 12:30 p.m. Those who would like to watch the meeting can do so here.