‘REFORM FAILED’

Majority of Minneapolis City Council Support Dismantling City’s Police Department

The announcement comes after weeks of global protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

Nine of the 12 Minneapolis City Council members announced support for defunding and dismantling the Minneapolis Police Department at a rally Sunday afternoon. The decision comes as several other Minneapolis institutions, including Minneapolis Public Schools and the University of Minnesota, have ended their relationships with the MPD following protests over George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody. “It is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe,” City Council President Lisa Bender said at the rally. “Our efforts at incremental reform have failed, period.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has rejected the idea of disbanding the city’s police department. Frey did not join the seven council members in attendance at Sunday’s rally and was booed at a rally supporting defunding the police Saturday afternoon.

The City Council’s decision won’t be easy to put into practice, Fox9 reports. In order to change the city charter, the public would need to vote on an amendment or the full City Council along with the mayor would need to support it.