DOJ Report on Minneapolis Police Renews Talk of Greater Civilian Input for Reforms

(KNSI) — Following a scathing report from the U.S. Department of Justice released last week regarding practices within the Minneapolis Police Department, there are renewed calls for police reforms, and some say that should include greater civilian input.

Michelle Witte of the League of Women Voters of Minnesota says if people have questions about their own police departments, they should feel they have the right to speak up. “It’s really great to have the community input, not just at the time of tragedy, but also ongoing, right? To build those relationships, to build that two-way street.”

Witte adds speaking up at city council or county commissioner meetings allows people to open a line of communication with civic leaders, including law enforcement. She says just like the importance of voting, being part of community input helps local governments establish accountability.

The St. Cloud Police Department is one step ahead, crafting a Community Policing Agreement in 2005 after numerous discussions and good faith collaborations between law enforcement and the people they serve, and it is revisited each year. There are dozens of signatories to the agreement, including a number of civilians.

Read the agreement here.

As for Minneapolis, the department is close to signing a consent decree, which is a legally binding document laying out a path for specific reforms.
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MNC Reporter Mike Moen contributed to this story.

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