MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Police Chief Brian O’Hara, and other City leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the police reform work that has already begun.
Despite the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) motion to dismiss the consent decree case, which was filed over four months after an agreement was reached and just days before the five-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, these leaders remain steadfast in their dedication.
owever, since that time, the DOJ has requested and been granted three consecutive 30-day stays of the court proceedings.Today, the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss the case. The decision on whether to dismiss the case or let it proceed now lies with the federal judge. Regardless of the outcome, the City of Minneapolis’s path remains clear: to continue implementing the reforms, despite apparent lack of support from the White House.
Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA) recently released a report documenting Minneapolis’ remarkable achievements in the first year of monitoring under the MDHR settlement agreement. The report underscores improvements in policies, enhanced training programs, robust officer wellness initiatives, and a significant reduction in complaint backlogs.
Notably, Minneapolis and MPD have made substantial progress in establishing a foundation for sustainable reform in the first year of monitoring, surpassing nearly any other jurisdiction operating under a court-ordered reform agreement.
ELEFA, the independent evaluator for the City’s compliance with the MDHR agreement, has played a pivotal role in ensuring that a substantial portion of the reforms outlined in the federal consent decree are already being implemented in the City’s agreement with MDHR.
“On top of the progress we’ve made with the MDHR settlement agreement, we’re committed to implementing the additional reforms in the federal agreement, with or without a consent decree,” said Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette. “The federal case isn’t over until the judge rules, but that said, we will ensure this important work continues.”
Despite claims by the Trump Administration that court-ordered reform hurts law enforcement, Minneapolis is seeing the opposite. These reforms are strengthening the Minneapolis Police Department through better training, stronger officer wellness programs, and more effective recruitment and retention. Since entering the MDHR agreement in 2023, the City has witnessed a significant drop in violent crime, improved officer morale, a substantial surge in police applications and new recruits, and enhanced stability within the MPD leadership and ranks, according to to Minneapolis officials.
“I came to Minneapolis to lead this department through historic reform. As the one-year ELEFA report shows, MPD had already accomplished more in one year than any other city under a consent decree. But we’re not stopping there,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “We will go beyond what is required and deliver real, lasting change for our residents. Our goal is to make MPD the best police department in the country and provide the people of Minneapolis the excellent policing service they deserve.”
The City has already started implementing the reforms outlined in the federal agreement and will continue to do so.
