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Council to review plan for public input on Minneapolis policing changes

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  September 30, 2020 9:56pm CDT
Disbanding the Minneapolis Police Department
FOX 9

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - At its next meeting, the Minneapolis City Council will be discussing a proposed timeline for community engagement for ideas how to change the current policing structure, according to city officials.

After George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody, city councilmembers gave their support for dismantling the police department. In June, the council declared its intent to create a "transformative new model for cultivating safety," which would be developed following a yearlong process of community engagement.

Last week, the council's Public Health and Safety Committee approved the four-part outline. Under the proposal, community members will be able to give thoughts on policing alternatives, public health-oriented violence prevention, law enforcement reforms and more. The plan has four phases:

  • Phase One (October-December 2020): A community survey and public forums focused on the current model of community safety and opportunities for changes, with a synthesis of initial themes presented to the City Council in early December along with a draft vision for consideration and adoption by the City Council.
  • Phase Two (January-March 2021): Public forums for community members to review and confirm the themes and goals established in the first phase plus a deeper dive into ideas for a new public safety model to help inform draft recommendations of action steps to realize the established vision and goals.
  • Phase Three (April-May 2021): Opportunities to offer feedback on draft recommendations at public forums and online.
  • Phase Four (June-July 2021): Recommendations will be refined and finalized, incorporating community feedback gathered throughout the engagement process, with a final report to the City Council on strategies for building a new model for community safety.

During this process, there will also be a review and analysis of existing models and programs that could be used in Minneapolis.

The full council will review the proposed plan at its meeting on Friday.