Tag: Minneapolis Police Department

Minneapolis Residents Resort to Crowdfunding to Pay for Neighborhood Policing

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Residents in Minneapolis are crowdfunding to get off-duty police officers to patrol the streets as the city continues to experience staffing shortages and an uptick in violent crime.

The Minneapolis Safety Initiative (MSI), a nonprofit seeking to increase law and order, is raising money to “buyback officer patrols.” Funds that are raised through the volunteer-led initiative will be sent to the Minneapolis Police Department to get officers deployed for shifts that the officers would otherwise not be working, MSI says.

“Officers working a buyback shift patrol in MPD vehicles, respond to 911 calls, and deter criminals—just as they do in a normal shift,” according to MSI. “All people working on this initiative are volunteers. There are fees for payment processing but otherwise, all contributions will go directly to paying for MPD buyback officer patrols.”

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New Policies Made Minnesota Police Department Even More Understaffed During Stone Arch Bridge Shooting

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Four people were shot in Minneapolis late Saturday evening, one of whom remains in critical condition.

Police responded to calls of shots fired at the intersection of Main St. and 6th Ave. SE near the Stone Arch Bridge around 11:00 p.m. on June 25. A large crowd of people had gathered at the intersection to allegedly watch “street racers” do burnouts with their vehicles.

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‘Nobody’s Listening’: Parents Outraged by Rise in Crime at University of Minnesota

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University of Minnesota Police Squad Car

Crime is out of control at the University of Minnesota and parents are tired of the finger-pointing.

Many attended a community meeting Tuesday night at the Van Cleve Recreation Center but were disappointed with the outcome.

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Supreme Court Rules Minneapolis Failed to Properly Staff Police Department

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Minneapolis 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.

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Minneapolis Police Department Loosens Standards for Case Investigator Applicants

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The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is recruiting civilians who would like to do investigation work.

According to a job posting, the MPD is looking for a case investigator able to do both office and field work. The required qualifications are at least two years of “investigative experience including actual interviewing” and “post-secondary education in Criminal Justice, Sociology or Psychology or equivalent.”

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State Prohibits Inspection of Data Underlying MPD Human Rights Report

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The state of Minnesota will not allow the public to view the materials that underlay a recent report accusing the Minneapolis Police Department of routinely violating human rights.

The report, compiled by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), concluded that “there is probable cause that the City and MPD engage in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act.”

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Minneapolis Police Unable to Investigate Significant Number of Cases, State Finally Sends Help

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The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) does not have the resources to investigate a substantial number of crimes that occur in the city.

In response to this dire situation, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and State Patrol have now launched their own operations in the city. The BCA has already begun helping MPD work through its backlog of cases, decreasing it by 1,200.

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Minneapolis Police Union: The State Had a ‘Predetermined Conclusion’ of Minnesota Department of Human Rights Report

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The head of the Minneapolis police union fired back at a recent report that accuses the city’s police of racism. She is not alone.

The report, compiled by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), concluded that “there is probable cause that the City and MPD engage in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act.” Specifically, the report says MPD officers take harsher action against black people than white people in similar circumstances, use offensive language, and maintain anonymous social media accounts “to surveil black individuals and organizations.”

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Minneapolis Middle School Newspaper Publishes Black Lives Matter Protest Guide

Peter D'Abrosca

A Minneapolis middle school, which teaches children as young as age 11, published in its school newspaper a guide for Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesting. 

“After the murder of Amir Locke at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department on Tuesday February 2nd, many of us are–and have been–taking to the streets to protest this injustice,” the February 15 edition of Justice Page Middle School’s paper The Rhino Report says. “This (nowhere near complete) guide on protest etiquette and tips is a combination of personal experience, advice from online circles of local activists, and just general common sense.”

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Records Released in Amir Locke Shooting Show He Wasn’t Named on Arrest Warrant

Peter D'Abrosca

According to warrants released in the shooting of Amir Locke, he was not the target of the police raid that led to his death. 

Instead the warrant was for 17-year-old Mekhi Speed, Locke’s cousin, who has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of a St. Paul man last month, according to WCCO. The warrants were unsealed days ago, but needed a judge’s stamp of approval to be released to the public because Speed is a minor. 

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Minnesota Teen Activists Group Walks Out of School in Protest over Amir Locke Death

Peter D'Abrosca

Minnesota Teen Activists announced Tuesday that it would be co-hosting a walkout on behalf of Amir Locke, who was shot and killed by a Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer during a raid last Wednesday. 

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Protesters Gathered Outside Minneapolis Interim Police Chief’s Home

Hayley Feland
group of people protesting at night

Protesters gathered outside the home of Minneapolis’ interim police chief on Sunday night, following the death of Amir Locke last week. The activists said they were calling for Minneapolis Interim Chief Amelia Huffman, as well as Officer Mark Hanneman, and Mayor Jacob Frey, to resign.

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Minnesota Democratic Politicians Respond to Death of Amir Locke

Hayley Feland

Several Minnesota officials have responded to the death of Amir Locke at the hands of Minneapolis Police earlier this week. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said, “Amir Locke’s life mattered. He was only 22 years old and had his whole life ahead of him. His family and friends must now live the rest of their lives without him.”

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Minneapolis Interim Chief of Police Notifies Local Activist About Officer Involved Shooting That Leaves African American Man Dead

Hayley Feland

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.

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Recovered Carjacked Vehicle Processing Backed Up Five to Six Weeks, Police Say

Hayley Feland

The processing for recovered carjacked vehicles is backed up five to six weeks, the police say. Carjackings are happening across the Twin Cities, spilling out into the suburbs. In Golden Valley, Minnesota they experienced five carjackings in a span of 24 hours last weekend.

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Minneapolis to Increase Police Department’s Budget, Effectively Ending ‘Defund the Police’ Movement

Minnesota Sun Staff

On Friday, the Minneapolis city council approved a budget that would increase funding for the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), restoring the department’s budget to what it was prior to the beginning of the “Defund the Police” movement, as reported by the Epoch Times.

The $1.6 billion budget, approved by the city council and Mayor Jacob Frey (D-Minn.), includes an allocation of $191 million for the MPD, marking a dramatic shift from just one month earlier when activists were on the verge of completely eliminating the department altogether.

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Hundreds of Black Lives Matter Protesters Block Minneapolis Streets, Protesting Rittenhouse Verdict

Hayley Feland

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters blocked some Minneapolis streets Saturday evening, protesting the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. The protest began at the Hennepin County Government Center, a 24-story skyscraper in the heart of Minneapolis, where many masked protesters gathered.

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Ellison Admits ‘Defund Police’ Slogan Was a Tactical Mistake for Progressives

Minnesota Sun Staff
Keith Ellison speaking

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison apparently thinks Democrats should have sought to defund the police without saying “defund the police.”

“I think allowing this moniker, ‘defund the police,’ to ever get out there, was not a good thing,” he recently told Washington Post reporter David Weigel. This comment followed an election in Minneapolis in which voters rejected a measure that would have replaced the police with a largely unarmed “Department of Public Safety.”

While Ellison’s most recent comment has drawn significant media attention, this position is not new — the AG has long wanted to reduce policing, only taking issue with the slogan his fellow progressives often use.

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Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Responds to Minneapolis Voting Against Replacing Police

Hayley Feland

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association responded to Minneapolis residents voting against replacing the police with a Department of Public Safety. The ballot question, sponsored by Yes 4 Minneapolis, asked if residents wanted to replace the Minneapolis Police Department.

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Progressives Claim Moral Victory Despite Losing Effort to Minneapolis Dismantle Police

Peter D'Abrosca

After losing on a ballot measure that would have dismantled the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), the progressive group behind the measure is claiming moral victory. 

Question 2, which was proposed in the wake of the death of George Floyd, would have replace MPD with a Department of Public Safety. It would have eliminated funding requirements for law enforcement in the city, and given Mayor Jacob Frey (D) and the city council dual authority over the new public safety department. 

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Minneapolis Voters Reject Ballot Initiative to Dismantle Police Department

Minnesota Sun Staff

Minneapolis voters Tuesday rejected a ballot initiative to dismantle the police department, according to Fox News.

The measure asked voters whether they wanted to amend the city’s charter to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety.

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Minneapolis Police Department Down 296 Officers, Seeks $27 Million Funding Boost

The Center Square

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.

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Minneapolis Police Department Short by over 200 Officers Due to Defund Police Movement

Hayley Feland

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.

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Minneapolis Residents Plead for State Assistance as Officer Exodus Continues

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A group of north Minneapolis residents said they feel like they live in a “war zone” in an open letter to Gov. Tim Walz this week.

“North Minneapolis, the most diverse part of the state, is a war zone, with a child murdered, a man killed when a barbershop was shot-up in broad daylight, a school teacher executed by fully automatic gunfire, a drive by shooting across an elementary school playground with children at recess, a bus evacuated after being shot at. All this in little more than a week,” says the letter.

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University of Minnesota Sees 38 Percent Drop in Crime After Increased Police Presence

Minnesota Sun Staff
Police officer on University of Minnesota campus handing out donuts

The Minneapolis neighborhood where the University of Minnesota is located has seen a notable crime drop after increasing its police presence.

According to The Minnesota Daily, the total number of “property and violent crimes” in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood has fallen from a peak of 129 in May to 80 in August — a 38 percent decrease.

As previously reported by both The Daily and The College Fix, Marcy-Holmes residents became particularly concerned about the level of crime following a June 19 shooting that injured three U of M students.

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Minneapolis Residents Send Letter to Gov Walz Asking for National Guard

Hayley Feland
Military men in uniform, on the steps of the National Mall in Washington D.C.

A group of Minneapolis residents sent an open letter to Governor Tim Walz (D) asking that he send in the National Guard or State Troopers, calling Minneapolis “a war zone.” The group of 26 residents said that they have been living amidst violence for long enough. As was reported by WCCO, Walz responded to the letter on Wednesday saying that“he shares their urgency to want to improve public safety, but that the state patrol and National Guard are not a substitute for a qualified, local police department.”

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Minnesota Supreme Court Allows Policing Ballot Question

The Center Square

The Minnesota Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s decision to strike down a ballot initiative asking whether voters want to replace the Minneapolis Police department with a department of public safety.

The ballot question, sparked by the May 2020 killing of George Floyd in police custody, weighs a more significant problem of how police balance public safety and enforcing crimes. After Floyd’s death, most of the City Council said they intended to dismantle the police department and replace it with a different model. The council pushed a plan to do so, but on Tuesday, Hennepin County Judge Jamie Anderson struck down the ballot language summary, saying it was “unreasonable and misleading.”

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Former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor Murder Conviction Overturned

Hayley Feland

The ruling for a former Minneapolis police officer, Mohamed Noor, who fatally shot a woman in 2017 was overturned, removing a third-degree murder conviction. Noor was initially convicted of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and sentences to 12.5 years. As was reported by ABC News, Noor shot and killed “Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual U.S.-Australian citizen who called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home.”

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Judge Strikes Down Ballot Language in Minneapolis Effort to Replace Police

Peter D'Abrosca
Minneapolis Police Department

After a legal challenge, a ballot question on Minneapolis’ November election ballot has be struck down in court. 

“Tuesday morning, a Hennepin County judge tossed the initially approved language by the Minneapolis City Council to be on the November ballot regarding the public safety charter amendment,” KTSP said. 

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Judge Strikes Down Ballot Language in Minneapolis Effort to Replace Police

Peter D'Abrosca
Minneapolis Police Department

After a legal challenge, a ballot question on Minneapolis’ November election ballot has be struck down in court. 

“Tuesday morning, a Hennepin County judge tossed the initially approved language by the Minneapolis City Council to be on the November ballot regarding the public safety charter amendment,” KTSP said. 

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Hennepin County Sheriff Candidate Tells Minneapolis Residents to Vote No on Police Charter Amendment

Hayley Feland

Hennepin County Sheriff candidate Jai Hanson told Minneapolis residents to vote no on the Yes 4 Minneapolis police charter amendment. In a tweet, Hanson said “Politicians like Keith Ellison and Ilhan Omar want to pass the amendment because they’re only interested in dismantling the police, not public safety.”

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Democrat Representative Opposes Minneapolis Initiative to Replace Police

Hayley Feland

Representative Angie Craig (D-02-MN) has spoken in opposition of an initiative moving forward in Minneapolis to replace the Minneapolis Police Department. The initiative, sponsored by a group called Yes 4 Minneapolis, would essentially replace the Minneapolis Police Department with public safety and mental health professionals.

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Minneapolis Police Department Will Reduce Enforcing Low-Level Traffic Violations to Correct ‘Racial Disparities’

Hayley Feland

The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) will be reducing the enforcement of some low-level traffic violations which officials say will help address racial disparities. According to an internal memo from Police Chief Medaria Arradondo that was obtained by Bring Me The News, there are three main low-level violations that the Minneapolis Police Department will no longer enforce: “Expired tabs, an item dangling from a mirror, or not having a working license plate light.”

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Judge Orders Explanation About Replacing Police be Removed from Ballot

Hayley Feland

A judge ordered that an explanation about replacing the Minneapolis police be removed from the ballot. The explanation was supported by Major Jacob Frey and city officials, who said that the people deserved to understand what they were voting for. The ballot question, put up by Yes 4 Minneapolis, seeks to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety.

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Minnesota Supreme Court Court Denies Appeal Seeking to Overturn Ruling About Minneapolis Hiring More Police

Hayley Feland
minneapolis police department

The Minnesota Supreme Court denied an appeal that was seeking to overturn the ruling requiring Minneapolis to hire more police officers. As reported by The Minnesota Sun, some city attorneys asked “the state Supreme Court to step in and offer an ‘accelerated review’ of the case ruling that ordered the city to hire more police officers. The attorneys are planning to challenge the order requiring Minneapolis to hire at least 730 police officers by next summer, saying it is ‘necessary to clarify the meaning of the provision’ before elections are held in November.”

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Battle to Replace Minneapolis Police Department Heats Up With Ballot Explainer Lawsuit

Peter D'Abrosca
Minneapolis Police officer with dog and children

The battle over a November ballot measure to replace the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is now subject to a lawsuit, as anti-police activists cry foul.

“The Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign filed a lawsuit against the city and the city clerk’s office,” Fox 9 reported. “The group accuses the city of ‘attempting to mislead voters’ about a proposed amendment that would replace the MPD with a department of public safety.”

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Minneapolis Officials Seek to Overturn Ruling Requiring City to Hire More Police Officers

Hayley Feland
Minneapolis Police

Some Minneapolis city officials are seeking to overturn a ruling made by a judge requiring the city to hire more police officers. In a recent court case, Judge Jamie Anderson ruled that the city of Minneapolis had until the end of June 2022 to have at least 730 police officers on staff. That number is based on population levels and the ratio of residents to officers required in the city’s charter agreement with the Minneapolis Police Department. As reported by The Minnesota Sun, “Minneapolis’s city charter mandates the city fund a police force of at least 0.0017 employees per resident, according to the lawsuit. The city, which is projected to only have a police force of 649 officers by the beginning of 2022, failed to fulfill its duties under its charter, according to the order.”

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Former Minneapolis Police Officer Starts Nonprofit to Combat PTSD

Hayley Feland
minneapolis police department

A former Minneapolis police officer started a nonprofit with the goal of helping fellow officers to overcome PTSD. Former Officer Chris Steward served the Minneapolis Police Department for over 14 years. Steward said, “This was my opportunity to serve the community that I loved and respected. I love my profession. I loved the people I served. I loved the people I worked with.”

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Foundation Run by George Soros Is Helping Fund ‘Yes 4 Minneapolis’ to Replace Police

Hayley Feland
George Soros

A foundation that is run by George Soros is helping to fund the Yes 4 Minneapolis initiative which is seeking to replace the Minneapolis Police Department. An arm of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, the Open Society Policy Center, donated $500,000 to Yes 4 Minneapolis. The Star Tribune reported that, “On Nov. 5, the executive director of Local Progress e-mailed Council President Lisa Bender, introducing her to Gretchen Rohr, who was leading a team at the Open Society Foundations working on justice-related programs in Minneapolis.” Local Progress, a national group that’s goal is to help progressive politicians share their ideas, is also funded in part by George Soros’ organization.

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Minneapolis City Council Frustrated over Slow Review of 2020 Unrest Response

Hayley Feland
Minneapolis Police Department

The Minneapolis City Council is frustrated over the slow review of the city’s response to the unrest in 2020. Minneapolis was plagued by riots as well as peaceful protests after the death of Goerge Floyd on May 25, 2020. Due to the massive amounts of damage and the repercussions of the violence, the city contracted a third party consulting group to assess the city’s response to the situation. As reported on FOX 9, “A final report and its recommendations aren’t due until January of next year but some city council members say that’s too long to wait.”

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Minneapolis City Council Moving Forward with Replacing Police

Hayley Feland
minneapolis police department

The Minneapolis City Council made steps to move forward with an amendment which could potentially replace the Minneapolis Police Department. According to FOX 9, “under the plan, the police department would be replaced in the charter with a public safety department but doesn’t outline how the department will work or be structured.” The amendment that passed the policy and government oversight committee was put together by a local community advocacy group called Yes 4 Minneapolis Committee.

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Minneapolis Residents Voice Concerns After 50th Homicide of 2021

Hayley Feland

Minneapolis residents spoke about their concerns regarding the rising violence in Minneapolis after the 50th homicide of 2021. As was reported on WCCO, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arrandondo and Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson held a community conversation where they heard the concerns of the citizens of Minneapolis.

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Twin Cities Pride Asking Minneapolis to Remove Requirement for Police at Large Events

Hayley Feland
Twin Cities Pride

The organization Twin Cities Pride is asking the city of Minneapolis to remove the requirement that large events be staffed with police officers. In a statement on the Twin Cities Pride website, it said it has “joined the chorus of community voices to strongly call on the City of Minneapolis to suspend the current requirement for event planners and organizers to contract with off-duty Minneapolis Police Department officers for security at large events.” 

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Minneapolis Police Open Investigation About Destroyed Records

Hayley Feland

After the Star Tribune did a report regarding some destroyed records from the Minneapolis Police Department’s 2nd precinct, an investigation was opened regarding the circumstances surrounding the destruction. The officers involved got rid of files while the 3rd precinct was burning after being looted just blocks away. The report reads investigators disposed of “inactive case files, search warrants and records of confidential informants.”

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Uncle of Girl Who Filmed Viral George Floyd Video Killed in Minneapolis Police Squad Car Crash

Peter D'Abrosca
Minneapolis Police Department Squad Car

The uncle of Darnella Frazier, the Minneapolis teenager who was recently awarded an honorary Pulitzer for filming the viral video of the arrest of George Floyd, which led to his death at the hands of ex-Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin, has died after a collision with police. 

While officers from the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) were pursuing a suspect in an armed robbery Tuesday morning, one officer’s squad car struck an unrelated vehicle. 

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Minneapolis City Council Withdraws Request to Remove Police Department

Hayley Feland
Minneapolis Police Department

Council members Steve Fletcher, Phillipe Cunningham and Jeremy Schroeder withdrew the proposal they had written to replace the police force with a new agency, a Department of Public Safety. The City Council members withdrew their proposal after a community group also came forward with a similar proposal that made it onto the November ballot which would replace police with a community-led group.

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Audit of Minneapolis Police Department Reveals Areas Needing Reform

Hayley Feland

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.”

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Minneapolis City Council Recommends Police Get $5 Million After Budget Cuts

Hayley Feland
Police officers

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.

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Chauvin Trial Overtime Cost Nearly $3 million

The Center Square
Derek Chauvin

Ramped-up security during the three weeks of Derek Chauvin’s trial cost taxpayers nearly $3 million, the Minneapolis Police Department said Thursday.

Citing unexpected costs, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo asked the Minneapolis City Council for an additional $5 million.

The MPD has 632 sworn officers, down from 845 one year ago — a 25% drop — to protect the 425,000-person city that’s fighting spiking violent crime.

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