It’s not often a mid-morning interview starts with such a stern warning.
“Didn’t you tell her to be careful?” Jon Loidolt asked.
Read MoreCouple Flees Minneapolis as Crime Turns Neighborhood They Once Loved into ‘Third-World Country’
Tag: Jacob Frey
Minneapolis City Council Rejects Plan for Officer Retention, Sign-On Bonuses
The Minneapolis City Council has rejected a bid submitted by the mayor and police chief to offer retention and recruitment sign-on bonuses for city police officers and new hires.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara came forward last week with a plan to spend $15 million in an effort to retain officers currently on the force and to offer incentive bonuses for new hires.
Read MoreUber: Minneapolis Drivers Get Minimum Wage, $5 Minimum After Frey Veto
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed an ordinance passed by the city council to enact a minimum compensation of $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute while transporting a rider, subject to annual adjustment.
Instead, Frey struck a deal to boost Uber driver pay to the city minimum wage and guarantee at least $5 per ride.
Read MoreMinneapolis Doctors Defend Gender Transitions for Kids
Earlier this month Minneapolis doctors defended what they perceive as the moral and scientific legitimacy of child gender transitions, which typically involve puberty blockers, “hormone therapy,” and even surgical intervention.
Their remarks came at a Dec. 2 press conference where Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order that protects access to “services, supplies, drug therapies, and other care that an individual may receive to support and affirm their gender identity,” including minors who do not live with their parents.
Read MoreMinneapolis Mayor Convenes Workgroup After String of Downtown Closures
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey convened a “Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup” this week following a string of recent high-profile closures.
“Cities that see the most success post-pandemic won’t cling to the old ways that are now changed forever,” Frey said in a press release. “Here in Minneapolis, we will step boldly into the future, guided by the top experts in our region, prepared to innovate and adapt. Minneapolis has always been a hub of commerce and innovation, and I am confident that this workgroup will help ensure we continue carrying that legacy forward.”
Read MoreMayor Frey, Ilhan Omar Feud After Close Primary
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, had some harsh words for Rep. Ilhan Omar after she narrowly escaped defeat in a Tuesday primary against Frey’s preferred candidate.
Frey said the “massive” 20-point shift should send a message to Omar, who defeated Don Samuels by just two points. In 2020, Omar won the Fifth District’s Democratic primary by 20 points.
Read MoreMinneapolis Mayor Endorses Omar’s Primary Opponent
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s reelection campaign has fractured the Minnesota DFL, with one of the party’s most prominent officials endorsing Omar’s opponent in Tuesday’s primary.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, whose city Omar represents in Congress, announced his support Thursday of Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member running against Omar in Minnesota’s Fifth District.
Read MoreSupreme Court Rules Minneapolis Failed to Properly Staff Police Department
The Minnesota Supreme Court has sided with the plaintiffs in a lawsuit claiming the city of Minneapolis violated the law by understaffing its police department.
In an order issued Monday, the state high court concurred with the Hennepin County District Court’s ruling from last year that the Mayor has an obligation to employ a police force of 731 sworn officers — a ratio spelled out in the City Charter.
Read MorePut Your Masks Back on, Minneapolis Says
City health officials are “strongly” encouraging Minneapolis residents to put their face masks back on, regardless of vaccination status.
The Minneapolis Health Department said in a Thursday news release that residents should “wear masks in indoor public settings and businesses,” citing an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Read MoreMinneapolis, St. Paul Lift Vaccine Mandates on Bars and Restaurants
Minneapolis and St. Paul rescinded their vaccine-or-test mandates on bars and restaurants Thursday, effective immediately.
The cities cited a significant decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. In Ramsey County, where St. Paul is located, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have dropped by 57.8% and 37.8% in the last seven days, respectively.
Read MoreMinneapolis Pauses No-Knock Raids after 22-Year Old Killed
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey paused no-knock warrants after a pre-dawn raid led to the killing of 22-year-old Amir Locke.
“No matter what information comes to light, it won’t change the fact that Amir Locke’s life was cut short,” Frey said in a statement. “To ensure safety of both the public and officers until a new policy is crafted, I’m issuing a moratorium on both the request and execution of such warrants in Minneapolis.”
Body camera footage shows a SWAT team using a key to open a downtown Minneapolis apartment at 6:48 a.m. Wednesday. Police entered and shouted: “Police, search warrant! Hands! Get on the ground!” and kicked a couch, where Locke stirred from under a blanket with a gun. Then an officer shot Locke three times. Nine seconds passed from officers entering the apartment to firing. Locke died 13 minutes later.
Read MoreMinneapolis Interim Chief of Police Notifies Local Activist About Officer Involved Shooting That Leaves African American Man Dead
The Interim Chief of Police with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) notified a local Black Lives Matter activist about an officer involved shooting that left an African American man dead on Wednesday morning.
Read MoreRestaurant Database Says Seated Dining in Minneapolis Down 76 Percent Since 2019
According to a restaurant database called Open Table, seated dining in Minneapolis is down 76% since 2019. As of Monday, January 23, the database said dining rates were only down 67%, but it dropped another 9% on Tuesday.
Read MoreNewly Elected Minneapolis Council Member Makes Statement After Defending Homeless Encampment from Eviction
A newly elected Minneapolis council member made a statement on Saturday after she defended a homeless encampment from eviction two weeks ago. Robin Wonsley-Worlobah, a Democratic Socialist, said that all pending evictions from Minneapolis homeless encampments need to be stopped. Wonsley-Worlobah was elected to the Minneapolis City Council in November.
Read MoreRestaurant and Bar Owners Launch Lawsuit Against Minneapolis Mayor over COVID Vaccine Mandate
Several Minneapolis restaurants initiated a lawsuit on Thursday against the mayor of Minneapolis over the COVID vaccine mandate that took effect last week. According to the complaint, the restaurants are seeking a judgement from the court that the emergency declaration requiring restaurant and bar owners to verify COVID vaccine status from Mayor Jacob Frey be considered null and void.
Read MoreMayor Frey Pleads with Minneapolis Schools to Stay Open so Kids Can’t Carjack
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is calling on local schools to remain open so that juveniles have far fewer opportunities to engage in carjackings and other crimes.
Frey made his plea at a Wednesday press conference with Deputy Chief Amelia Huffman on the city’s high violent crime rate.
“We’ve gotta keep the schools open. This is very clear to me,” he said. “Yes, we need to make sure we’re abiding by the necessary safety precautions. Yes, we need to make sure anyone from parents to teachers to students are protected in full from the dangers associated with a global pandemic, and we need to make sure the students are in the schools and that they’re able to learn.”
Read MoreMinneapolis and St. Paul Mayors Reelected Despite ‘Failed Leadership’ Amidst 2020 Riots
Both the Minneapolis and St. Paul mayors were reelected despite many claiming “failed leadership” during the riots of 2020. Current Mayors Melvin Carter and Jacob Frey were both reelected in Minnesota’s November general election.
Read MoreMayor Frey Announces Guaranteed Income Program Ahead of Election
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined city leaders Wednesday in announcing a pilot version of a guaranteed basic income (GBI) program.
The announcement comes just days before Minneapolis city elections in which the mayor’s office is on the ballot. Frey is seeking reelection to a second term.
Read MoreMinneapolis Police Department Down 296 Officers, Seeks $27 Million Funding Boost
The Minneapolis Police Department has lost nearly 300 officers since 2020, and the city is trying to fund a budget that replaces those officers and protects residents from an increase in violent crime.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s 2022 recommended budget would increase the Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) budget by $27 million, or 17%, if approved by the City Council.
Read MoreMinneapolis Police Department Short by over 200 Officers Due to Defund Police Movement
The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is short by over 200 officers due in part to the defund the police movement, according to the MPD Union president. She said that they should have around 888 officers, but their current staffing numbers are under 600 total officers.
Read MoreMinneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Running for Re-Election
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) will be running for re-election. Frey has been the mayor of Minneapolis since 2017, and was heavily criticized for his actions regarding the COVID pandemic and civil unrest of 2020.
Read MoreMinneapolis and St. Paul Mayors Refused to Comment on Mayors Conference Support of Critical Race Theory
The Minneapolis and St. Paul mayors refused to comment on the decisions made by the U.S. Conference of Mayors embracing the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 schools. At the conference, the mayors adopted Resolution Number 68, called “In Support of Critical Race Theory in Public K-12 Education.”
Read MoreAudit of Minneapolis Police Department Reveals Areas Needing Reform
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.”
Read MoreMinneapolis City Council Recommends Police Get $5 Million After Budget Cuts
Due to the huge wave of violent crime sweeping Minneapolis, the City Council Committee has recommended that the Minneapolis Police Department receive $5 million in overtime funds after major budget cuts were implemented following the death of George Floyd.
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo requested that the Minneapolis City Council assist in funding the projected $9.5 million dollar overtime bill for the Minneapolis Police Department. Overtime for officers during the murder trial of ex-Police Officer Derek Chauvin alone totaled over $2.9 million, due in part to a shortage of officers.
Read MoreCommunity Safety Program Announced to Curb Violence in Minneapolis
Minneapolis just announced a new community safety program in an attempt to stop the increase in violence that has occurred over the last year.
This new initiative is backed by the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, as well as other leaders in the community. The goal is to help stop the explosion of gun crime in recent days, through an effort called Community Safety Specialists (CSS).
Read MoreJudge Won’t Delay or Move Chauvin Trial, Despite $27 Million Civil Settlement with Floyd Family
Despite a $27 million civil settlement between the city of Minneapolis and the family of George Floyd, the judge in the high-profile trial of ex-Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin will continue as scheduled.
“Unfortunately, the pretrial publicity will continue no matter how long we continue [the trial],” Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill said Friday.
Read MoreMinneapolis Citizens Desensitized to Crime: Uber Driver Footage Inside Look at Metro’s Reality
Two Minneapolis citizens appear desensitized to their city’s worsening crime in a viral video of a downtown shootout early Sunday morning. The Uber driver’s dash cam recorded the incident.
The interaction between the female passenger and Uber driver is calm despite the violence occurring in front of them.
Minneapolis Calls in National Guard to Stop Rioting
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced Wednesday evening that the city asked the National Guard to assist in the unrest and rioting occurring on the streets of Minneapolis.
Minneapolis will also have a curfew that is going into effect immediately, KSTP reported.
Read MoreMinneapolis Residents Sue the City and Mayor Jacob Frey Over Defunding Police
Eight Minneapolis residents filed a lawsuit Monday against the City of Minneapolis and Mayor Jacob Frey for the negative repercussions of defunding the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The plaintiffs allege that city officials’ words and actions concerning law enforcement caused a severe uptick in Metro’s crime rates.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMWLC), who issued a press release the day after the suit was filed.
Read MoreMinneapolis May Lay off 40 Workers, Cut Spending Projects to Fill $156 Million Budget Deficit
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey presented a plan to patch a more than $155 million revenue gap using furloughs, cash reserves and spending freezes.
The deficit followed the COVID-19 pandemic and riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody, which combined brought a steep drop in parking, utilities and general revenue.
Read MoreTrump Rejects Gov. Walz’s Request for Federal Support to Rebuild Minneapolis from Riots
President Donald Trump has rejected Gov. Tim Walz’s request for federal financial assistance to help rebuild portions of the Twin Cities that were destroyed by rioting.
Nearly 1,500 Twin Cities businesses were vandalized, burned, or looted during the late May riots, with current estimates of the damage exceeding $500 million.
Read MoreJudge Threatens to Move Trial Out of Minneapolis If Public Officials Don’t Stop Speaking Out About Floyd Case
A Minnesota judge on Monday warned that he’s likely to move the trials of four former police officers charged in George Floyd’s death out of Minneapolis if public officials, attorneys and family members don’t stop speaking out about the case.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill stopped short of issuing a gag order against attorneys on both sides, but he said he likely will if public statements continue that make it hard to find an impartial jury. Cahill said that would also make him likely to grant a change-of-venue motion if one is filed, as he anticipates.
Read MoreJudge Threatens to Move Trial Out of Minneapolis If Public Officials Don’t Stop Speaking Out About Floyd Case
A Minnesota judge on Monday warned that he’s likely to move the trials of four former police officers charged in George Floyd’s death out of Minneapolis if public officials, attorneys and family members don’t stop speaking out about the case.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill stopped short of issuing a gag order against attorneys on both sides, but he said he likely will if public statements continue that make it hard to find an impartial jury. Cahill said that would also make him likely to grant a change-of-venue motion if one is filed, as he anticipates.
Read MoreMinneapolis Council Members Who Want to Abolish Police Have Received $63,000 in Private Security
Minneapolis has spent $63,000 on private security for three council members who want to abolish the city’s police department.
Council Member Phillipe Cunningham confirmed the report in a statement released on Twitter Friday night.
Read MoreCouncil Unanimously Approves Plan to Dismantle Minneapolis Police
The Minneapolis City Council on Friday unanimously approved a proposal to change the city charter to allow the police department to be dismantled, following widespread criticism of law enforcement over the killing of George Floyd.
Read MoreTrump Mocks ‘Stone-Cold Crazy’ Minneapolis Officials, Predicts ‘Big Victory’ in Minnesota: ‘They’ve Had It’
President Donald Trump described Minneapolis officials as “stone-cold crazy” during his return to the campaign trail Saturday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The lawlessness of the “radical left” was a recurring theme of the president’s speech, and Minneapolis was a prime target.
“Our incredible success in rebuilding America stands in stark contrast to the extremism and destruction and violence of the radical left,” the president said early in his 90-minute address.
Read MoreRep. Ilhan Omar Calls Minneapolis Police ‘Rotten,’ Can’t Explain Who Will Respond to Violent Crimes Without Them
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) was unable to provide details on who will respond to violent crimes in her city without a police force, but said the Minneapolis Police Department is “rotten to the root” during a Sunday interview.
“What takes its place?” CNN host Jake Tapper asked the congresswoman. “Who investigates crimes? Who arrests criminals? What happens?”
Read MoreSt. Paul Man Charged with Arson in Third Precinct Fire
Federal authorities charged a St. Paul man this week with aiding and abetting arson for his involvement in the destruction of the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct.
The Third Precinct was one of the hundreds of buildings destroyed by rioters in the wake of George Floyd’s alleged murder by police officers on Memorial Day. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has faced substantial criticism for his decision to give up the Third Precinct on the night of May 28.
Read MoreMinneapolis Police Chief Withdraws from Negotiations with Police Union
The Minneapolis Police Department will withdraw from police union contract negotiations, Chief Medaria Arradondo said Wednesday, as he announced initial steps in what he said would be transformational reforms to the agency in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Faced with calls from activists and a majority of City Council members to dismantle or defund the department, Arradondo also said he would use a new system to identify problem officers and intervene if there are early warning signs of trouble.
Read MoreAnoka Sheriff Says ‘Many Agencies’ Have ‘No Appetite’ for Helping Minneapolis If It Abolishes Police Department
Anoka County Sheriff James Stuart said “many agencies” have “no appetite” for helping Minneapolis in the future if its leaders follow through on a plan to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD).
“The members of the Minneapolis City Council should be mindful that numerous other law enforcement agencies have responded to support them, to restore order, to protect their citizens and to return peace to their city during recent tragic days. We did this while joining our communities in disgust over the way in which George Floyd lost his life and in hopes of a stronger, unified future,” Stuart said in a statement released on Facebook Sunday night.
Read MoreU of M, Minneapolis Schools and Others Cut Ties with Police Department
Several institutions plan to cut ties with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) in response to the alleged murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody on Memorial Day.
University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel informed students last week that the school will no longer contract with the MPD for large events, like football games and concerts, or specialized law enforcement services, such as K-9 explosive detection units.
Read MoreMinneapolis Bans Police Chokeholds, Neck Restraints in Wake of George Floyd Death
Minneapolis agreed Friday to ban chokeholds by police and to require officers to try to stop any other officers they see using improper force, in the first concrete steps to remake the city’s police department since George Floyd’s death.
The changes are part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of Floyd. The City Council approved the agreement 12-0.
Read MoreDFL Lawmakers Want State and Federal Aid to Rebuild Minneapolis
DFL lawmakers want the state and federal governments to chip in to help repair the estimated $55 million in damage caused to Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and the Legislature’s People of Color and Indigenous Caucus called for “immediate legislative funding for Minneapolis and St. Paul rebuilding efforts” in a joint statement.
Read MoreRudy Giuliani Says Mayor Frey, Other ‘Progressive Democrats’ Should Resign for Handling of Riots
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani called on Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to resign for failing to protect his citizens from a week of riots that left portions of his city in ruins.
In a Friday interview with Fox News, Giuliani said “progressive Democrats are incapable of keeping their people safe because they have criminal-friendly policies that are pathetic.”
Read MoreJail Records Contradict Claims That Most Rioters Are from Out of State
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and Gov. Tim Walz all have suggested that many of the rioters wreaking havoc on the Twin Cities are from out of state, but jail records seem to show otherwise.
“We’ve seen long-term, institutional businesses overridden. We’ve seen community institutions set on fire. And I want to be very, very clear, the people that are doing this are not Minneapolis residents. They are coming in largely from outside of the city, from outside of the region, to prey on everything that we have built over the last several decades. The dynamic has changed over the last several days,” Frey said during a joint Saturday press conference.
Read MoreA City in Ruins: Three Nights of Riots Leave South Minneapolis Looking Like War Zone
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – Three consecutive nights of rioting in response to the alleged murder of an unarmed black man at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer have left stretches of the city in ruins, producing scenes most accurately described as a war zone.
Officer Derek Chauvin, the man filmed pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed George Floyd, was arrested Friday on charges of murder and manslaughter. He and three colleagues involved in the incident were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department Tuesday.
Read MoreMayor Frey Says George Floyd Would Be Alive ‘If He Were White,’ Calls Incident Murder
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he thinks George Floyd was murdered and claimed Floyd “would be alive today if he were white.”
Video from the tragic Monday night incident shows a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed Floyd, who repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after he was taken into custody.
Read MoreShocking Footage Shows Minneapolis Protesters Wreaking Havoc on Police Precinct, Destroying Squad Cars, Looting Target
Officers with the Minneapolis Police Department were reportedly attacked with rocks and paintballs Tuesday night as protesters rioted in response to the death of George Floyd.
Video from the tragic Monday night incident shows a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed Floyd, who repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after he was taken into custody.
Read MoreMinneapolis Mayor Calls for Charges Against Officer in George Floyd Case
Mayor Jacob Frey called on the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to pursue charges against a Minneapolis police officer involved in a viral incident that led to the death of George Floyd.
The global community erupted in outrage after video showed a Minneapolis officer, who has been identified in some reports as Derek Chauvin, pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed Floyd, who repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe.
Read MoreMinneapolis to Allow Broadcast of Muslim Call to Prayer Over Loudspeakers During Ramadan
Mayor Jacob Frey announced Tuesday that he will allow a mosque in Minneapolis to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer over loudspeakers during the month of Ramadan.
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