Protesters gather outside the Hennepin county Government Center during a Justice for George Floyd demonstration on June 11 in Minneapolis. Photo: Kerem Yucel/ Getty Images
The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Friday intended to develop a replacement for the local police department while providing for "community safety and violence prevention."
Why it matters: The move launches a yearlong community engagement process to produce a "transformative new model" for public safety in the city, beginning to answer the calls of activists who have been pushing for an overhaul to law enforcement after the killing of George Floyd.
- It comes days after a veto-proof majority of the council voted to disband the police department.
What they're saying: “The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, by Minneapolis police officers is a tragedy that shows that no amount of reforms will prevent lethal violence and abuse by some members of the Police Department against members of our community, especially Black people and people of color,” five council members wrote in the resolution.
- "We acknowledge that the current system is not reformable -- that we would like to end the current policing system as we know it," council member Alondra Cano said, per the local ABC affiliate.
What to watch: Council members expect recommendations from the Future of Community Safety Work Group on how to engage with community stakeholders to replace the public safety system by July 24, Reuters notes.