Minneapolis pauses talks with police union

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, the Minneapolis Police Department decided to withdraw from negotiations with the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation. Chief Medaria Arradondo said on Wednesday that the union’s demands could debilitate the department’s ability to fire an officer for poor behavior. He said the department is “taking a deliberate pause” to consider ways to restructure its contract to facilitate transparency and flexibility.

What could change? The department will review critical incident protocols, use of force, and disciplinary protocols in its contract with the police union, according to Arradondo. It is also working on a system to identify officers who need intervention earlier. The union contract expired on Dec. 31, 2019, but remains in effect until the city signs a new one.

Meanwhile, Thomas Lane, one of the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in Floyd’s death, posted bail on Wednesday and is out of jail. Prosecutors charged him with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s arrest attempt. The other three former officers remain behind bars.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Emily Belz’s report about how one New Jersey city enacted reform after cutting ties with the police union.