On Friday (June 26), the Minneapolis City Council has unanimously permitted a measure to dismantle the city’s police department following nationwide protests and demands to defund local law enforcement.
While the 12-0 decision comes as a victory to protestors, the abolition of the city’s police force won’t occur just yet, as it’s only the first step in a long legislative process. To help further it along, residents will need to support the measure during November’s election.
The measure, which proposed to amend the current charter requirement of funding a police force large enough to meet the city’s population, now looks to remove the mandate in addition to an entire section on the police department — proposing to replace it with a new department: the Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.
The literature also removes the minimum officer requirements within the new community safety department, and says the council will be responsible for “adequately funding” the replacement department.
