Minneapolis Votes to Dismantle Police Department and Find New Approach to Public Safety
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A majority of Minneapolis City Council members voted Sunday to dismantle the city’s police department and replace it with a new model of public safety, the New York Times (NYT) reported. The move follows activists’ calls to “defund police” after the violent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis law enforcement officers two weeks ago. As Republicans have expectedly described such calls as “appalling” and “outlandish,” Congressional Democrats have also distanced themselves from the calls, focussing instead on bringing a new bill addressing police reform.
As the May 25 killing of George Floyd unleashed nationwide protests and rioting against police brutality and racial injustices, some protestors are calling for local police departments to be completely defunded.
On the wave of these calls, nine out of 13 Minneapolis Council members voted to break up the city’s police department and work with local residents to find a new system of protecting the public. “We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota Attorney General Jeremiah Ellison had tweeted Thursday. “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.”
Despite the Minneapolis council vote, House Democrats have said they are not supportive of calls to defund police. “I think it can be used as a distraction — and that’s my concern,” Rep. Karen Bass, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, told CNN. Bass is a lead sponsor in an upcoming Democrat bill addressing police reform. Democrat House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer also told CNN Monday: “We need police departments; we need to keep peace and order. This effort is about making sure that those who we give the authority to exercise that authority in a way that’s positive and expected by the American people.”
While it is not yet known what “dismantling” the Minneapolis police department would mean in practice, Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has reportedly stated he does not support “abolishing” it. Changes to the department are reportedly expected in the next few weeks.
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