Estelle Timar-Wilcox
Appearances
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
Well, they found a pattern of racial discrimination and excessive use of force, particularly against Black and Native American people. They also noted inappropriate responses when people were experiencing a behavioral health crisis. City officials have been in talks with the Department of Justice since then to try to reach this consent agreement.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
And the state at the same time reached a separate settlement with the city about a year ago, also mandating several reforms, which the department is now working towards.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
Well, the department will have to draft a new use of force policy. It bans chokeholds and neck restraints and limits the use of pepper spray. One of the big concerns centered around investigations into a complaint against an officer, those will now continue even if an officer quits or retires.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clark called the settlement a critical step for constitutional policing.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
Well, Clark says they do, and she noted success stories in other cities that have consent decrees, like Seattle, which she said drastically reduced the use of force, and New Orleans, which reached its lowest rate of critical incidents in 2023. And here in Minneapolis, lots of police accountability activists were actually pushing for a consent decree. Michelle Gross was one of them.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
Even if it isn't ideal, even if it isn't perfect, we need this agreement to go forward. Even so, activists say it's not an end-all solution to police brutality.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
Well, once a federal judge signs it, it'll go into effect. And advocates are hoping that will happen before Donald Trump's inauguration because Trump's last administration opposed using consent decrees. Once it's enacted, a federal judge and an independent monitor will oversee progress on it.
Up First from NPR
Trudeau Resigns, Guantanamo Prisoner Release, Minneapolis Police Reform
And it'll stay in effect until the federal courts decide that all the conditions have been met, which could be years from now.