In a decisive move to ensure police reform, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey signed Executive Order 2025-01, a document designed to cement and expedite changes proposed under a consent decree that was recently dismissed by a federal judge. As the Trump administration withdrew its support, this order reaffirms the city's commitment to a police system that is community-driven and accountable. "We are committed to police reform, even if the Trump administration is not," Frey stated, according to a news release on the City of Minneapolis's official website.
The executive order has several key directives. Within 90 days, it requires the City Attorney’s Office to identify all the decree's reform items not already part of, or in conflict with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights settlement agreement. Within the next 30 days, advice is expected on how to enable independent evaluation of the city's reform efforts by the Effective Law Enforcement for ALL group, known as ELEFA. Moreover, the order demands immediate collaboration from city leaders and employees to put these changes into action. "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," Mayor Frey declared in the same announcement.
This authoritative step comes after the Justice Department's move to dismiss the consent decree, a reversal that cast aside an agreement initially reached during the Biden administration. In a stand for autonomy and resilience, City leaders, including Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara, have signaled that Minneapolis will act independently to implement each prescribed reform. Despite the lack of federal oversight, they emphasize an aspiration to surpass the basic requirements and deliver substantial progress.
Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette supported the reform, stating, "A consent decree and the settlement agreement are at the intersection of police reform and reimagining community safety." He further explained, "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." The sentiment was echoed by Chief O'Hara, who said, "With or without federal oversight, we will go beyond what is required and deliver real, lasting change for our residents." Additionally, Civil Rights Director Michelle Phillips commented on the executive order's role, saying, "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."
The city's steps toward police accountability have not gone unnoticed, with outside evaluators registering Minneapolis as making great strides in its first year of monitoring, outpacing nearly any other city bound by a court-enforceable reform agreement. The MDHR settlement agreement, which overlaps with several key aspects of reforms from the consent decree, includes measures such as community engagement, use of force policies, fair and impartial policing practices, body-worn camera policies, and training protocols. The executive order takes effect immediately and will remain in force through successive administrations, reinforcing Minneapolis’s dedication to reform that is both transparent and structurally sound.
