Policing Alone Won’t Fix This
The Conversation about Policing Must Include Strengthening the Social Safety Net
Recent news coverage—both local and national—has been overwhelming. We’ve been reading accounts of how the killing of George Floyd changed the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), its impact on the businesses and residents of George Floyd Square, and how the trauma, five years later, continues to shape the thinking of Black and brown residents throughout the city and country. Council Member Andrea Jenkins’s latest newsletter provides a thoughtful reflection and includes a list of anniversary events.
Don’t Take the Bait
The Trump administration’s move to dismiss the Department of Justice’s consent decree on MPD oversight has understandably sparked outrage. The fate of the decree now lies with U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson.
The timing—just ahead of the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder—seems designed to provoke and distract. The focus must remain on local progress, not political theater.
Minneapolis has made progress, but much work remains to improve its police department and rebuild community trust. National distractions—like President Trump’s agenda—only slow that work. The Minnesota Human Rights Department’s consent decree is still in effect. Let’s stay focused on what we can control: supporting a transparent, respectful, and fair system of public safety.
“Will You Keep O’Hara as Police Chief if Elected?”
A significant part of that support is faith that Police Chief Brian O’Hara is the right person to lead the MPD. His current contract expires at the end of 2025. The election in November could very well determine his fate. He has said he wants to continue in the role. If re-elected, the current council likely has the votes to block his contract renewal. Were Mayor Jacob Frey to lose, O’Hara’s fate would depend on whomever is chosen to replace him. It’s a good question to ask candidates: “Will you keep O’Hara as Police Chief if elected?” The issue will be decided by voters this November.
Police are on the Front Lines
What disappoints us about the significant amount of reporting on public safety is how little discussion there is about the causes of crime. Addressing root causes is essential if we hope to reduce reliance on policing. Violent, sometimes deadly, interactions between the police and residents would never occur if crime were effectively prevented.
Police do not create the laws or policies that might reduce crime. That responsibility lies with our elected officials, who must act as creative problem solvers—addressing income inequality and investing in long-term strategies for crime prevention.
Our society has a gun problem. Many commenters criticize us when we bring this up, often arguing that the issue lies with the people who misuse guns. Like cars, guns are only dangerous when used improperly. That may be true—but as with cars, the more guns there are on the street, the more likely it is that someone will use one in a reckless and deadly way, especially if they’re too young to fully understand the consequences of their actions.
Addressing poverty and deep inequality is essential to making lasting progress in crime prevention. Unfortunately, many national policies—including those promoted by President Trump and his allies—undermine that goal by weakening the social safety net while favoring those already economically secure.
We support the concept of federally funded savings accounts for every newborn—a policy championed by Sen. Cory Booker during his presidential campaign. The idea is to allow compound interest to build over time, so that by age 18, recipients have funds to pursue education or launch a business. It reflects a broader recognition: investing in children early can reduce economic hardship and social instability later in life. Connecticut launched such a program on July 1, 2023, depositing $3,200 into an account for each newborn covered by the state’s Medicaid program.
Conclusion
Police reform must result in public encounters that are less confrontational and more constructive. Community members need to trust that when they call the MPD, they will be treated with respect—and that the response will be appropriate to the situation.
We support reforms that improve these encounters. What’s needed now is alignment—a mayor, city council, and police chief committed to seeing these reforms through until they become the norm, not the exception.
Reforming the Minneapolis Police Department is essential, but it must be paired with investments in social supports that address the root causes of crime. There are practical, achievable steps our leaders can take—and police reform is just one part of the broader change Minneapolis needs.
Hi Terry
You and I are in alignment an overwhelming majority of time. Maybe 80 or 90% :-)
I now better understand one of our areas of dissent. You view guns as a root cause of crime. They are a symptom of root causes to be mitigated. Not the the cause itself .
Of course there are negative outcomes with guns I am not ignoring that. But they are not a root cause of crime.
Paul
I spent two Minnesota legislative sessions in the room while solving crime, reducing crime, gun safety, and social justice issues were being discussed and legislated. These are huge societal issues that can't really be unpacked in a substack article. The reforms were meaningful and real; and you cannot begin to understand the pushback Mary Moriarti is getting under her attempts to turn the curve on criminal justice issues! It's really a lose/lose for her, but I applaud her attempts. Generations of black and brown kids grow up without a father or a father model. They have no idea how to behave in a socially responsible ways because they've never been taught how to behave. Turning to gangs and guns is their natural choice. Just this one issue alone is huge! Gun safety was so contentious during Session, it barely came away with a single tweak. I got to meet prisoners who follow legislative progress on a daily basis. They're real people -- they certainly aren't the monsters that some like to characterize them as. We're talking about four or more decades of intense, multi-faceted work to create an urban environment where everyone can walk in and around the community without fear of harm or death by gun violence. Meanwhile, it's been five years since the murder of George Floyd and the Administration is overturning the Consent Decree. That's not what I call progress. The state of Minnesota continues to be held accountable under the Human Rights Consent Decree. Mayor Frey says the work will continue with or without the assistance of the DOJ. That's something to celebrate. Happy Memorial Day, friends.