Mayor Jacob Frey signed an executive order to codify and accelerate Minneapolis’s police reform efforts, following the Trump administration’s decision to abandon the proposed consent decree and the recent dismissal of the decree by a federal judge. Despite the federal government's retreat, the City is moving forward, reaffirming its commitment to community-driven, transparent, and lasting police reform.
Executive Order 2025-01 will:
- Direct the City Attorney’s Office to formally identify all reform items from the consent decree that are not already included in or conflicting with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) settlement agreement.
- Timeline: within 90 days
- Request the City Attorney’s Office to advise on steps to enable Effective Law Enforcement for ALL (ELEFA) to independently evaluate the City’s implementation of these reforms alongside those in the MDHR settlement agreement.
- Timeline: within 30 days
- Require full cooperation from City leaders and employees to implement these reforms.
- Timeline: immediately
“We are committed to police reform, even if the Trump administration is not,” said Mayor Frey. “Our residents demanded meaningful change, and we’re delivering on that promise with this executive order, ensuring the work outlasts politics and any one administration.”
Sending a clear message
This action comes just weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice moved to dismiss the consent decree, abandoning an agreement reached in good faith between the City and the Biden administration. In response, Mayor Frey stood with Chief Brian O’Hara and City leaders to send a clear message: Minneapolis will implement every reform in the 163-page decree, with or without the federal government.
“A consent decree and the settlement agreement are at the intersection of police reform and reimagining community safety,” said Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette. “They are not barriers to good policing—they are tools to building a safer, more equitable City, and we are committed to seeing this work through to improve our accountability and create lasting, sustainable change.”
“With or without federal oversight, we will go beyond what is required and deliver real, lasting change for our residents,” said Chief O’Hara. “Our continuing goal is making sure the MPD is the best police department in the country and providing the people of Minneapolis the excellent policing service they deserve.”
“This executive order outlines the chief executive officer’s mandate and commitment to police reform efforts in the City of Minneapolis,” said Civil Rights Director Michelle Phillips. “The Civil Rights Department and the Office of Police Conduct Review will continue its implementation of the consent decree provisions and work with our partners to drive positive and sustainable change through police accountability.”
Making great strides
Minneapolis continues to be recognized nationally for its progress on police accountability. Last month, the independent evaluator highlighted the City as making greater strides in its first year of monitoring than nearly any other city operating under a court-enforceable reform agreement.
Several reforms from the consent decree are already covered in the MDHR settlement agreement, including community engagement, use of force, fair and impartial policing, body-worn cameras, and training.
The Executive Order takes effect immediately and remains in force, even into future mayoral administrations, unless repealed by executive authority. It reinforces Minneapolis’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and structural reform to build a safer and more equitable city.
To learn more about the City’s reform work on the Court-Enforceable Settlement Agreement.