Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Police Chief Brian O’Hara, and other City leaders reiterated their commitment to continuing police reform work already underway, despite the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) motion to dismiss the consent decree case more than four months after an agreement was reached and just days before the five-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.
On January 6, the City entered into a proposed DOJ Consent Decree, outlining policy, resource and training requirements that would, together with the settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), continue to guide the City’s and Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) reform efforts over the next several years. The DOJ and the City jointly filed the agreement in federal court, seeking court approval. Since that time, DOJ requested and was granted three consecutive 30-day stays of the court proceedings.
Today, the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss the case. The decision on whether to dismiss the case or let it proceed now lies with the federal judge. Regardless of the outcome, the City of Minneapolis’s path remains clear – to continue to implement the reforms, apparently without support from the White House.
"We're doing it anyway."
“We’re doing it anyway,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “We will implement every reform outlined in the consent decree—because accountability isn’t optional. Our independent monitor has lauded the meaningful progress we’ve made under the state settlement agreement, and the public can count on clear, measurable proof that our reforms are moving forward.”
Just yesterday, Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA) released a report documenting Minneapolis’ significant accomplishments in the first year of monitoring under the MDHR settlement agreement. The report highlights better policies, more effective training plans, stronger officer wellness programs, and a near elimination of complaint backlogs.
The report notes that Minneapolis and MPD have made “more progress toward building a foundation for sustainable reform in the first year of monitoring than nearly any other jurisdiction” operating under a court-ordered reform agreement. ELEFA serves as the independent evaluator for the City’s compliance with the MDHR agreement, and a substantial portion of the reforms in the federal consent decree are already addressed in the City’s agreement with MDHR.
“On top of the progress we’ve made with the MDHR settlement agreement, we’re committed to implementing the additional reforms in the federal agreement, with or without a consent decree,” said Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette. “The federal case isn’t over until the judge rules, but that said, we will ensure this important work continues.”
Reform Supports Police and Public Trust
Despite claims by the Trump Administration that court-ordered reform hurts law enforcement, Minneapolis is seeing the opposite. These reforms are strengthening the Minneapolis Police Department through better training, stronger officer wellness programs, and more effective recruitment and retention.
Since entering the MDHR agreement in 2023, the City has seen:
- A drop in violent crime
- Higher officer morale
- A major increase in police applications and new recruits
- More stability within MPD leadership and ranks
"I came to Minneapolis to lead this department through historic reform. As the one-year ELEFA report shows, MPD had already accomplished more in one year than any other city under a consent decree. But we’re not stopping there,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “We will go beyond what is required and deliver real, lasting change for our residents. Our goal is to make MPD the best police department in the country and provide the people of Minneapolis the excellent policing service they deserve."
The City has already begun to implement the reforms listed in the federal agreement and will continue to do so.
View the press conference on the City's YouTube channel here.