MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Minneapolis Police Department will face the scrutiny of a federal program after a state investigation concluded that its officers stop and arrest Black people more than white people, use force more often on people of color and maintain a culture in which racism is tolerated.

The death of a Black man at the hands of a Minneapolis police SWAT team is shining new light on how police carry out no-knock warrants.

The killing of a Black man by Minneapolis police left his family and activists angry and questioning the credibility of a department widely criticized for its initial portrayal of George Floyd’s death.

The Minneapolis mayor has imposed a moratorium on no-knock warrants after Amir Locke was killed as a SWAT team carried out a search warrant in a downtown apartment.

Minneapolis activists are collecting accounts of police misconduct from community members for a federal civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis police to ensure they have a say in any potential changes.

Minneapolis voters are deciding whether to replace the city’s police force with a new Department of Public Safety.

Ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is being sentenced Friday months after being convicted of murdering civilian George Floyd.

A critical factor for jurors to consider at Derek Chauvin’s trial in George Floyd’s death is whether he violated the department's chokehold policy.

As former Officer Derek Chauvin stands trial in George Floyd’s death, a central question is whether he followed the Minneapolis Police Department’s guidelines on the use of force — and used that force reasonably.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a budget early Thursday that will shift about $8 million from the police department toward violence prevention and other programs — but will keep the mayor's targeted staffing levels for sworn officers intact, averting a possible veto. City Council members had initially approved a proposal to cut the city's authorized police force to 750 officers, down from the current 888, beginning in 2022. “Tonight the City Council passed a budget that represents a compromise, and also a big step forward into a more compassionate and effective public safety future,” said City Council member Steve Fletcher, co-author of the proposal to lower the cap on staffing. Those against the plan said the City Council was acting irresponsibly and has bungled its attempts to bring change. The city was paying $4,500 a day at one point for private security for three council members who reported getting threats after supporting defunding.

Eleven of the 13 council members have already cast committee votes in favor of the largest parts of the plan, signaling that passage is likely. Chauvin and three others were charged in Floyd’s death and are expected to stand trial in March. The mayor and 12 of the 13 council members are Democrats; one council member is from the Green Party. The council could override him with a two-thirds majority, or nine council members. We’ve got a City Council being run by a bunch of inexperienced activists who have never run anything in their lives.”

FILE - In this June 10, 2020 file photo, Minneapolis Police Department Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo, speaks in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Police Department is changing its policy on reporting use of force incidents by requiring that officers document their attempts to de-escalate a situation in all situations, whether or not they end with force being used, Arradondo and Mayor Jacob Frey announced Tuesday, July 14, 2020. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP File)

FILE - In this June 10, 2020 file photo, Minneapolis Police Department Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo, speaks in Minneapolis. Besides requiring that officers report de-escalation attempts, the new policy expands requirements for reporting use of force incidents across the board and orders that officers provide more detail. These comprehensive reporting requirements will help reinforce de-escalation as the first resort, increase accountability where de-escalation is an after-thought, and provide improved data to head off problematic interactions before they happen," Frey said. Prior to the new policy, there were no reporting requirements for techniques such as arm bars, wrist locks, drawing a firearm or using handcuffs, they said. And officers using authorized takedown techniques or chemical agents will also now be required to follow the same documentation and reporting requirements, as well as tell a supervisor.

Duty disability means the officer was disabled while engaged in inherently dangerous acts specific to the job. Meuser said in recent weeks, 150 officers have retained his office for help in filing for duty disability benefits through the states Public Employment Retirement Association, or PERA. Doug Anderson, executive director for PERA, said 150 officers seeking duty disability from one department would be high. A high percentage of those on duty disability do not return to the job, Anderson said. The city can incur significant costs if the leave is classified as duty disability, because the city would continue to pay for the officers health insurance.

Talk of changing the Minneapolis Police Department is everywhere in the wake of George Floyd's death in an encounter with four officers. The union issued a statement soon after Floyd died cautioning the public not to rush to judgment and saying the union would provide its full support to the officers. Kroll acknowledged that widely seen cellphone video of Floyds death is horrific, but that the union was left blindsided by being denied the right to review officer body camera video. After Floyds death, Chief Medaria Arradondo said he was pausing contract negotiations with the union to consider major changes. Anna Hedberg, another union director, told CBS This Morning that before Floyds death the union had been having great conversations with city leaders and Arradondo.

MINNEAPOLIS The Minneapolis Police Department will withdraw from police union contract negotiations, Chief Medaria Arradondo said Wednesday in announcing the first steps in what he said would be transformational reforms to the agency in the wake of George Floyd's death. He said the contract needs to be restructured to provide more transparency and flexibility for true reform. The review would look at matters such as critical incident protocols, use of force, and disciplinary protocols including grievances and arbitration. Arradondo sidestepped a question about whether he thought union head Bob Kroll, often seen as an obstacle to reform, should step down. Along the way, he and four other black officers successfully sued the department for discrimination in promotions, pay and discipline.

Police reform is not a new topic of conversation, however; police reform dates back to the mid 1800s and was continuously encouraged all throughout the 20th century. These past grievances, past harms by law enforcement, need to be addressed before even attempting to move forward.What does police reform look like? Police reform happening nowIn response to the national outrage over Floyds and Taylors deaths, police departments around the country have committed to police reform. Alternative to police reformSome advocates are calling to defund the police instead of promoting police reform following Floyds death. Defunding advocates argue that procedural police reform does not adequately address systemic racism in the U.S. and therefore wont effect enough change to make a difference for marginalized communities.

MINNEAPOLIS The Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd's death was scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday. Derek Chauvin, 44, is also charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's May 25 death. Floyd's death set off protests, some violent, in Minneapolis that swiftly spread to cities around the U.S. and the globe. Chauvin and three other officers on the scene were fired the day after Floyd's death. Floyd's death has ignited calls to reform the Minneapolis Police Department, which community activists have long accused of entrenched racial discrimination and brutality.

DETROIT A former Detroit police chief who has worked closely with the Minneapolis Police Department for years said that department has some serious problems." Ike McKinnon, a well-known former Detroit police chief, has had a unique look inside the Minneapolis Police Department for a couple of years as a consultant. The police department has some serious problems," McKinnon said. There are serious problems with the minority community, McKinnon said. People dont understand there are serious problems, McKinnon said.

(Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP, File)MINNEAPOLIS A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city's police department, an aggressive stance that comes just as the state has launched a civil rights investigation after George Floyd's death. Council member Jeremiah Ellison promised that the council would dismantle the department. It is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe, Lisa Bender, the council president, said. Community activists have criticized the Minneapolis department for years for what they say is a racist and brutal culture that resists change. The move to defund or abolish the Minneapolis department is far from assured, with the civil rights investigation likely to unfold over the next several months.

Floyd died May 25, after he was pinned to the pavement by a police officer who put his knee on the handcuffed black man's neck until he stopped breathing. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been fired and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers who were present were also fired but have not been charged in Floyd's May 25 death. Widely seen bystander video showing Floyds death has sparked sometimes violent protests around the world against police brutality and discrimination. According to the criminal complaint against Chauvin, while Floyd was complaining he couldnt breathe, Lane asked Chauvin twice if they should roll him on his side.

Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights announced the filing of the formal complaint at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. The FBI is also investigating whether police willfully deprived Floyd of his civil rights. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights enforces the states human rights act, particularly as it applies to discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations and public services. The Minneapolis Police Department has faced decades of allegations of brutality and other discrimination against African Americans and other minorities, even within the department itself. Arradondo himself was among five black officers who sued the police department in 2007 over alleged discrimination in promotions, pay, and discipline.