Minneapolis at a Crossroads: Consent Decree Vote Pivotal for Police Reform and Racial Justice

The urgency of this decision is heightened by the impending inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has previously expressed skepticism towards consent decrees, deeming them "anti-police." As Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey aptly stated, "Progress can be painful, and the obstacles can be great. But we haven't let up in the three years since the murder of George Floyd."

The consent decree, a 140-page document, is the culmination of a scathing two-year federal investigation that uncovered systemic issues within the MPD, including "unjustified deadly force," racial profiling, and violations of First Amendment rights. The investigation revealed alarming disparities -- Black drivers were 6.5 times more likely to be stopped by MPD officers than white drivers, while Native American drivers faced an even higher disparity at 7.9 times.

Attorney General Merrick Garland highlighted instances where officers "routinely neglected the safety of individuals in custody," with detainees pleading for air while their complaints were dismissed. These findings echoed the state investigation that revealed a decade-long pattern of racial discrimination by the MPD, prompting a separate consent decree with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights in 2023.

If approved, the federal consent decree would establish a framework for addressing these deeply rooted issues, prohibiting certain stop and search practices and restricting the use of specific crowd-control weapons. It would also mandate the MPD to meet specified reform benchmarks under the supervision of an independent monitor and a federal judge -- a process expected to take years and cost the city millions of dollars.

"With a $230+ million budget and about 1,000 total staff, MPD has the resources to be able meet all the provisions in the state and federal consent decrees in a timely manner if MPD and city leadership is serious about the importance of this work," asserts City of Minneapolis Council Member Robin Wonsley.

However, concerns have been raised about the lack of transparency surrounding the closed-door discussions preceding the vote. As film director and Minneapolis resident D.A. Bullock shared, "There is no valid reason for this to be behind closed doors. The consent decree is on behalf of the residents of Minneapolis. There is no city enterprise without the residents."

The vote comes at a pivotal moment, as the Justice Department has launched 12 similar investigations into state and local law enforcement agencies since April 2021, often in response to high-profile deaths at the hands of police. While agreements have been reached with cities like Seattle, New Orleans, and Ferguson, Missouri -- the path forward for Minneapolis remains uncertain.

Police Chief Brian O'Hara, hired in 2022 for his experience implementing a consent decree in Newark, New Jersey, expressed his desire for "not just what's in these documents. I want what's right for our officers and what's right for our community and that is how people are experiencing policing on the street and I think we've made great progress with that this year."

As the City Council prepares to cast their votes, the weight of their decision resonates far beyond Minneapolis -- it represents a potential turning point in the nation's ongoing struggle for police accountability and racial justice. The road ahead is arduous, but as Frey stated, "We haven't let up" in the pursuit of healing and reform.