Minneapolis Police holds "historic" first meeting on department's future following consent decree
MINNEAPOLIS – Minneapolis Police held its very first meeting to help shape the future of policing in the city. The meetings are mandated after an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights found a years-long pattern of racial discrimination.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara got things started by calling Tuesday night's meeting historic, saying the goal is to get community input to create a safer city. It's the first of many as part of court-ordered reform. The first topic: when officers use force.
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People who live in Minneapolis, and people invested in the process, filled the room, with chairs set up in circles. It's a time for people to learn about the use of force policy and then to offer feedback. People shared their thoughts during breakout sessions, saying what they think MPD should consider in a use of force policy and how the department can create a better understanding for both officers and the community.
"I think that it needs to be in simple and plain terms that normal people can understand," said Bernice Hodge, who works in Minneapolis.
"I hope they get trained, and they get more conscious about people. We are from different backgrounds. We are people from different cultures, and we react different to any situation, and they have to be more educated about using force," said Columbia Reyes of Minneapolis.
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"Our kind of discussion was like great, we can change our use of force policies. But is there gonna be follow up by the department? Is there gonna be enforcement of these policies?" said Emma Pederson of Minneapolis.
The next meeting is Wednesday at 6 p.m. at East Neighborhood Services Inc. in the second precinct.
Future topics include stops, searches and arrests and non-discriminatory policing plus MPD's mission statements. You can also share your opinion online here.
