A recent audit of the Minneapolis police department shared areas in need of reform. Minneapolis city officials and Minneapolis Police leaders made up the audit committee and they presented the findings this week. City Council Member Linea Palmisano said, “Today’s report offers a path forward for ensuring influential Field Training Officer roles are staffed by officers who embody core community values.” She went on to say that the findings of the report and the resulting action will work to create “meaningful change.”
The four specific issues that the report found within the Minneapolis Police Department included the field training officer staffing and structure, communication and information flow within the field training officer program, field training officer selection and oversight process and enhancement to the officers-in-training evaluation process.
The report specifically examined Minneapolis’ Field Training Program. One of the findings that concerned the audit committee was an “inconsistency in experience for officers in training” as well as an inconsistency within the training of the field training officers. The report did not outline what those inconsistencies were.
“Our Field Training Program is a focal point in our work to serve the community immediately and in the long-term. By examining where there’s room for improvement and acting on those findings, we can take a meaningful step forward to building trust in the midst of a major push to bring new officers into the MPD.” Minneapolis Police Deputy Chief Amelia Huffman said in a statement.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said that this is a historic moment for Minneapolis. “Minneapolis has a historic opportunity to create a more just police department and equitable community safety system.” He went on to say that “Developing higher standards and offering incentives for those who serve as Field Training Officers while adding accountability measures to the program will move Minneapolis in the right direction.”
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun | Star News Network and The College Fix. She graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Send news tips to [email protected].
