Minneapolis City Council Votes Unanimously To Explore New Model For Public Safety
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously today to begin the process of finding a new model for safety in the city in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd and the ensuing civic unrest.
The council's resolution calls for community engagement and research over the span of a year. They say that would include community discussion, healing and reconciliation.
"The City Council will commence a year long process of community engagement, research, and structural change to create a transformative new model for cultivating safety in our city," the resolution reads.
The plan follows a call for change across the city, and world.
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"People have marched all over the world. All over the city of Minneapolis. And what they're saying to us is they want change. Not 'fix it.' Not 'reform.' But change. So we must take these voices seriously," council vice president Andrea Jenkins said. "We have to be concerned about the unity, the safety of the city of Minneapolis. This is our moment, this is our time. So in the words of my coffee mug, lets make it happen."
The resolution quotes activist Angela Davis: "In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be anti-racist."
A majority of city council members have already said they're in favor of defunding the Minneapolis Police Department.
Additionally, a group of city council members will propose letting voters remove the Minneapolis Police Department from the city's charter this fall and replace it. This will be introduced at the next meeting. If approved, it could wind up on the ballot this fall.
