Dismantle Police Pledge: Minneapolis Council Members Have Regrets

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Members of the Minneapolis City Council have regrets about their June 7 pledge to dismantle the city's police department, saying their intentions weren't clear enough and they caused confusion among residents and activists.

The New York Times reported Saturday how the movement to remove the department faltered:

Councilor Andrew Johnson, one of the nine members who supported the pledge in June, said in an interview that he meant the words “in spirit,” not by the letter. Another councilor, Phillipe Cunningham, said that the language in the pledge was “up for interpretation” and that even among council members soon after the promise was made, “it was very clear that most of us had interpreted that language differently.”

"I think our pledge created confusion in the community and in our wards," council president Lisa Bender told the Times after a long pause.

The movement completely stalled in early August, when the city's Charter Commission Wednesday voted to hit pause on an amendment that would dismantle and replace the city's police force. By a vote of 10-5, the group moved to take 90 more days to review it, meaning it won't be on the November ballot as many activists had hoped.

Bender criticized the Charter Commission's vote immediately after it took place.

The charter amendment was unanimously passed by the City Council back in June. If the Charter Commission had approved the measure, the City Council could have placed it on this November's ballot, giving residents the choice to approve or reject it.

Instead, the City Council and voters will have to wait at least another year before the amendment can appear on ballots.

Crime spike in the Twin Cities

Following an "extraordinary spike" in violent crimes in Minneapolis and St. Paul, United States Attorney Erica MacDonald on July 8 announced the formation of a new Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force.

"This increase in violence, particularly the shootings, is unacceptable and it must end – that is why I am launching a new Twin Cities Violent Crime Task Force to help turn the tide," MacDonald said.

"The goal of this Task Force is not to flood our communities with law enforcement, but rather to leverage law enforcement's collective resources to allow for focused and effective enforcement actions. Bringing safety and security back to our cities requires collaboration, and we need law enforcement, city leaders and community members all working together toward the common goal of bringing an end to this violence."

The rise in gun violence likely played a role in shaping public opinion on the "dismantle" or "defund" police movement. An August poll found that a majority of Minneapolis residents do not support reducing the size of the city's police force. The poll was conducted and published by news partners Star Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio, and KARE 11.

Read the full New York Times feature on Minneapolis here.