In a move drawing mixed reactions from the Minneapolis community, the City Council has approved substantial pay raises and various reforms for its police department, following negotiations that stretched out for nearly one year. The collective bargaining deal with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis (POFM) was ratified by an 8-4 margin, and it provisions a 21.7 percent salary increase for officers over the next three years—a boost that will position them among the best-paid law enforcement personnel in Minnesota by 2025, according to a city release.
Council Member Jamal Osman, representing Ward 6, vocalized his support for the contract stating, "I understand that public safety is a top concern for residents," and underscored the importance of attracting and retaining qualified officers with competitive pay, as per the council's newsletter. In contrast, some residents have voiced their concerns over rising costs and prioritization of funding, meanwhile, Mayor Jacob Frey and city leaders convened to celebrate the contract's passage which introduces several administrative changes, including greater management discretion in officer assignments and the introduction of civilian investigators to alleviate officers' workload, as detailed in the aforementioned bulletin.
Tied to the city's ongoing efforts for accountability and transparency, the new Civil Rights Director, Michelle Phillips, has stepped in with a formidable background in police oversight from her previous roles in Oakland and Baltimore, per the City's announcement. Phillips is expected to enforce ordinances, investigate discriminatory practices, and oversee civil rights issues, her work dovetailing with a recent initiative—the African American Heritage Work Group—which aims to document and honor Minneapolis's Black history, its inaugural session to commence late in July.
The city's pursuit of community welfare extends to the establishment of new community safety centers in south Minneapolis, where after initial rounds of engagement that revealed urgent needs for affordable housing, mental health services, and resources against domestic violence, human trafficking, food insecurity the next steps will involve selecting appropriate services for inclusion at the centers, all of which has been documented in a community engagement report accessible on the City website. Minneapolis is simultaneously promoting economic growth and inclusion with the launch of the annual Black Business Week from July 22-28, featuring events aiming to connect Black entrepreneurs with resources and community members.
Amid ongoing concerns about substance misuse and related fatalities, Minneapolis has also implemented a Narcan vending machine pilot program at Fire Station 21. This project is part of a larger harm reduction strategy in response to 74 suspected overdoses and fourth suspected fatal overdoses this year alone in the area, and it makes overdose-reversing medication freely accessible to the public. Minneapolis resident Christopher Burks, whose life was saved by Narcan multiple times, attested to its importance during a news conference covered in the city bulletin.
