A Hennepin County District Court judge has approved the City’s settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights that outlines policy, training and accountability requirements that the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and City enterprise must undertake.
The settlement agreement lays out a roadmap for achieving non-discriminatory policing and to better support community safety in Minneapolis. It includes many requirements that are already consistent with current MPD policies and reform measures.
MPD and City leaders are now focused on implementing the agreement. In the near term, the City is focused on reviewing responses to a request for proposals for an independent evaluator. The independent evaluator will evaluate and report on the City’s compliance with the terms of the settlement agreement and will provide the City with technical assistance.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has also agreed to review the independent evaluator proposals and provide feedback to the City and MDHR as part of the agreement in principle between the City and DOJ. The City and DOJ will soon begin negotiating to shape a consent decree following DOJ findings announced June 16.
The City and MDHR will select independent evaluator finalists after reviewing the proposals, and then two public meetings will be held for the community to learn more about the finalists.
MPD and the City Attorney’s Office are working on hiring staff for implementation units that will focus on implementing the agreement in a timely manner.
MPD is required to establish a webpage available in multiple languages to receive comments from the community about MPD’s policies and practices. MPD must also hold at least three public engagement sessions on each topic area: mission, values and goals; and policies regarding non-discriminatory policing and impartial policing; use of force; and stops, searches, and arrests. The community engagement sessions are expected to start in August.
Learn more about the MDHR settlement agreement and ways to stay involved.