Minneapolis Parks Cut Ties To Police After George Floyd Killing

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The consequences of George Floyd's killing has "severely undermined trust" in city police, according to a resolution approved Wednesday by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The vote severed the partnership between the city's parks and police.

Much of the agenda for the Parks Board's regular Wednesday meetings dealt with an array of contracts approval, as well as a wage freezes and long-term strategic planning. But two newly submitted resolutions reflected the toxicity of public perception toward the Minneapolis Police Department.

"Recent actions by the Minneapolis Police Department in the alleged murder of George Floyd while in police custody have severely undermined community trust in, and sense of safety around, Minneapolis Police," the resolution stated, proposing "immediately ceasing the use of Minneapolis Police to staff park-sanctioned events."

The resolution also noted: "This severe undermining of trust and safety by Minneapolis Police does not support the Mission of the MPRB and has no place in our parks."

Not only did the Parks Board agenda for Wednesday's meeting include a resolution to remove city cops as security for parks events, the Parks Board approved a separate resolution to alter uniforms for its separate force of Park Police.

The reason? To distinguish the Park Police uniforms from the one worn by Minneapolis police, including the one worn by former officer Derek Chauvin as he pressed his knee into the neck of George Floyd on May 25.

The Park Police's new uniforms will be green.

"For nearly the past 100 years, Park Police officers have worn the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) uniform," noted Superintendent Alfred Bangoura in background material included in the agenda; Bongoura explained that while the "primary benefit of Park Police officers wearing the MPD uniform is the immediate recognition of formal authority," the time had come to redesign the uniforms to reflect that Park Police's "unique mission and culture that is different from the MPD."

The Parks Board isn't alone in moving toward cutting ties with the beleaguered departement. Last week, in a letter sent the students, faculty and staff of the University of Minnesota, the college's president announced the institution was limiting its ties with the Minneapolis Police Departmen

Similarly, on Tuesday, the Minneapolis Public School board members voted unanimously to terminate the district's contract with the city's police department.