Voters in Minneapolis, where black man George Floyd was killed under a police officer’s knee last year, have rejected a proposal to replace the city’s police department with a new Department of Public Safety.
Calls for racial justice filled the air following the death of Floyd, who was murdered by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The death prompted calls for a need to reform policing in the Democratic Midwest city.
The proposal would have removed the requirement for the city to have a police department with a minimum number of officers.
Supporters of the initiative emphasized that a complete overhaul of the system was needed to stop police violence. Those opposed felt the plan wasn’t concrete on how to move forward, which would leave communities already affected by violence more vulnerable.
Many opponents were not entirely pleased by the defeat either. Both sides recognize the sense of urgency there is to transform the city’s policing.
Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey, in a tough fight to be reelected, opposed the policing amendment but said it was just the beginning of reform.
‘There will be many that will try to argue that this is a blow to reform. That is dead wrong,’ he said. ‘Reform has begun, but it must continue.’
Frey is leading the first round of ranked choice vote in the mayoral election, but didn’t have enough votes to be determined the winner as of Wednesday.
The ballot proposal had roots in the abolish-the-police movement that erupted after Floyd was killed. Had it passed, the policy could have shaped change across the nation.
‘Tonight Minneapolis voters have made clear that we want a planful approach to transforming policing and public safety in our city that needs to include meaningful consultation with the communities that are most impacted by both violent crime and by over-policing,’ said Leili Fatehi, manager of the All of Mpls campaign.
The question on the ballot called for a new Department of Public Safety, which would take a ‘comprehensive public health approach to the delivery of functions’ that would be determined by the mayor and City Council.
Supporters felt it was an opportunity to reimagine public safety and how money put toward it is spent, which many hoped could fund programs that don’t send armed officers to people in crisis.
Yes 4 Minneapolis, the group which spearheaded the amendment drive, vowed to continue fighting for change.
‘We changed the conversation about what public safety should look like,’ the group tweeted.
‘We showed the country and the world the power of democracy and of the people. Now, we will work to hold the system accountable. We will work to heal our city and create safer streets for all our communities.’
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