Minneapolis City Council Members Announce Intent To Defund Police

They heard you.

Source: Scott Olson / Getty

Over the weekend some shocking news broke about the Minneapolis Police Department. Amid worldwide protests and yes, some property damage, city council members have announced their intent to defund and dismantle the MPD, the same police department who employed the four officers involved in the murder of George Floyd.

THIS IS HUGE.

CBS Minnesota reports that nine out of thirteen Minneapolis City Council members stood up on the stage to announce their intent to disband the city’s police department during a meeting Sunday. One such person was council president Lisa Bender who added on social media that a “transformative new model of public safety” will be implemented.

“Our commitment is to end our city’s toxic relationship with the police department, to end policing as we know it,” she added.

Suggestions for the new public safety policy include calling family, neighbors, or social workers in times of crisis and redirecting the police department’s budget to mental health services and addiction treatment.

“Police are not the right response for a myriad of issues: mental health crises, domestic violence calls, opioid overdoses,” said Council Member Phillipe Cunningham to CBS.

“We’re not going to tomorrow all the sudden have nobody for you to call for help. There will be thoughtful and intentional work that’s done, research engagement, learning that happens in a transition that will happen over time,” Cunningham added.

Mayor Jacob Frey who had to take a walk of shame after saying that he doesn’t want to defund the police, has since released a statement.

“I’ll work relentlessly with Chief Arradondo and alongside community toward deep, structural reform and addressing systemic racism in police culture. And we’re ready to dig in and enact more community-led, public safety strategies on behalf of our city. But I do not support abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department.”

Do you agree with the city council’s decision to defund the police or do you agree with Mayor Frey???