August 1, 2018, Wednesday - Public Comment Meeting on Police Department Charter Change

Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Location: Minneapolis City Council Chamber

Please come to this joint meeting of the Minneapolis City Council Intergovernmental Relations and Public Safety committee to share your thoughts and show your support for the Minneapolis Charter Amendment providing for the Mayor and City Council to have and exercise joint responsibility for the establishment, maintenance, and command the Police Department.

The Council is considering putting a Charter Amendment on the ballot that, If approved by the voters, would amend the Minneapolis Charter provision that puts the supervision of the police department solely in the mayor’s hands and instead make it a shared responsibility of both the Mayor and City Council. Unlike any other City department, according to the Charter, the mayor is “vested with all the powers of said city connected with and incident to the establishment, maintenance, appointment, removal, discipline, control and supervision of its police force…” It is this arrangement that has made it particularly difficult for Council Members, and through them community members, to fully engage and influence how we manage and assist our police officers. The Council cannot direct staff, set policy, or institute promising management practices when the Charter gives the Council no authority over the department, except to approve the appointment of the police chief and the department’s budget.

The language of the proposed change and proposed ballot question can be found at https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/File/2018-00802