Guest column

We need reform – and tools, training and support for police

Posted

I believe we need a 21st century approach to public safety – one that is mindful and respectful of everyone involved. Let me start out by saying I do not believe defunding or abolishing the police will solve the challenges we face as a community. I have spent the last five months listening to the concerns of residents of Ward 11 and all throughout Minneapolis. A common theme I’ve heard in almost every conversation is concern regarding crime and feeling unsafe in our neighborhoods. The message is clear – we need comprehensive police reform, and we need to provide tools, training and support to our police department to continue tackling the violent crime that is plaguing our city. Everyone deserves the right to feel safe and protected in our communities.
I do support certain elements of the Transforming Public Safety Charter Amendment, including, the expansion of the Office of Violence Prevention, investments in expanding mental health response capabilities as well as the components that expand our overall public safety approach as a city. Preventing violence and increasing support systems and resources for mental health are crucial steps we must take to reduce crime.
However, I cannot support the overall Transforming Public Safety Charter Amendment because it undermines critical police infrastructure that supports overall community safety. While the charter amendment outlines steps forward for comprehensive police reform, it removes critical elements of public safety support in our growing city. By reducing the number of officers or allowing for a reduction in officers, we remove critical community building functions like homeless outreach and community engagement efforts, and changes to the reporting structure for the chief of police increase opportunities for political interference.
The charter amendment removes the requirement for a resident-to-police-officer ratio, leaving it up to the Minneapolis City Council to choose to fill roles, when our police department is already functioning with limited capacity. Last week, I joined the Minneapolis Police Department for a ride-along. During this shift, I experienced first-hand the demand that our officers are facing on every shift, including calls pending for long periods of time waiting for service and limited resources to support Minneapolis residents. For our department to adequately serve our community and face the many challenges that lie ahead, our police department needs to be effectively equipped with resources and violence prevention, but also with staff and manpower.
The charter amendment language also proposes that the Minneapolis City Council has more oversight of the police department. This oversight would include a change of management for the police chief from the mayor to the entire council and mayor, 14 individuals each with different political agendas that, as we’ve seen in some cases, carries over into policy and approach as elected officials.
Public safety is more than policing; policing is merely the reactionary component of public safety. As a public safety professional in a community-facing role, I’ve witnessed many of the challenges that the community is facing and have worked to create initiatives to address some of these challenges across Hennepin County, supporting more than 1.2 million residents. We must be willing to work together to identify a path forward that includes investments in violence prevention, youth-focused engagement, mental health support, officer training and wellness support, expansion of community engagement, community service officer training and expansion, recruitment processes and community involvement in hiring, accountability for officers, and support for the redirection of non-emergency calls.
I am also committed to being deliberate in the effort to include all voices at the decision-making table to truly ensure all communities are represented and heard. As an openly gay man, I know the feeling of not having a seat at the table when decisions are made on my behalf that directly impact my life.
Police reform and public safety innovation is not an easy task that we have before us. True leaders must embrace the challenge and bring forth balanced ideas to ensure both the dismantling of structural racism within our governmental departments and a continued commitment to protecting residents in our city, which is fundamentally our core responsibility.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my stance on this important issue in our community, though it is difficult to sum up in 600-800 words. I invite community members who are interested in learning more to reach out to me to discuss this topic at greater length. Contact information is listed on dgmpls.com.

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