Mille Lacs Tribe Hosting 'Un-Cuff Our Cops' Rally At State Capitol
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is hosting a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol in an effort to draw attention to what it calls a public safety crisis after the loss of a law enforcement agreement with Mille Lacs County.
According to the tribe, the "Un-Cuff Our Cops" rally is slated to occur from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday on the steps of the state capitol building.
The tribe says there have been over 50 overdoses on its reservation in Mille Lacs County since the termination of the agreement in 2016.
Mille Lacs County cited its disagreement with a federal opinion as its primary basis for ending the agreement. At the time, Mille Lacs Band Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin says the decision puts politics ahead of public safety.
"Many families have lost loved ones, and many others have suffered because they have been directly impacted by the lack of public safety in Northern Mille Lacs County. This has gone on for way too long," the tribe said.
The tribe says Gov. Mark Dayton said it will take "a lot of public pressure" to get a cooperative agreement between the county and the tribe. The tribe says this rally is an opportunity to engage in public pressure.
