Minneapolis Police's second state-mandated reform meeting focuses on stop, search and arrests
MINNEAPOLIS – Community members gave their perspective Tuesday on policing in Minnesota's largest city.
They met in Minneapolis to tell the city's police department how they think officers should stop, search, and arrest people. It's the second state-mandated meeting to reform the department.
Several people spoke about the racial disparity of who's stopped. The investigation found MPD officers were more likely to stop vehicles with people of color.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara and Cmdr. Yolanda Wilks, who is overseeing the implementation of changes, spoke to the group first, saying the goal of all of this is to have better outcomes for officers and people they interact with in the community.
They went over drafts of possible policy changes, things like officers telling a person they've stopped who they are and why they were pulled over.
WCCO talked with people who shared their own experiences and weighed in on the proposed changes.
"To be getting pulled over and not being told why you're pulled over, that matters big time," said resident Michael Powell.
"There has to be a balance between not pulling over for minor things like something hanging in your window or lights out, but being able to enforce actual law that could potentially harm or kill somebody," said resident Buzzy Bohn.
RELATED: Minneapolis Police holds "historic" first meeting on department's future following consent decree
"The sessions sometimes feel productive, but it feels like we're spinning our wheels because the only reason why we're here is because the MDHR said we had to be," said resident Toussaint Morrison.
WCCO talked with Chief O'Hara and Cmdr. Wilks, who said they've already applied feedback to make the sessions better and are committed to real change and going above and beyond what's required.
There are two more sessions on this topic, which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday.
Click here for more information on the community engagement sessions.
Click here to learn more about the Minnesota Department of Human Rights' findings on MPD.
Click here to see MPD's timeline for the implementation of the consent decree.
