Minneapolis voters save police department

Over 56 percent of voters checked “no” on a ballot question on Tuesday that would have replaced the city’s police department with a Department of Public Safety. The proposal would have changed the city charter to dispatch mental health professionals as first responders in some crisis situations. It would also have removed a required minimum number of police officers based on the city’s population. A separate ballot question passed to reorganize city departments under the mayor’s executive control.

What was important to voters? Supporters, led by Yes 4 Minneapolis, wanted to abolish the police department after George Floyd’s death in 2020 sparked protests and calls for reform. Many citizens who voted “no” on the question said they want police reform but not like this. Opponents, including the Democratic mayor and the city’s first black police chief, warned that the plan was unclear on details and would leave communities vulnerable to more violent crime. Residents in crime-heavy neighborhoods feared that a public safety department might not respond quickly and effectively.

Dig deeper: Read Charissa Koh’s report in Compassion about cities restoring police department budgets to combat crime waves.