The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is moving toward severing its longtime policing relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department, right down to the uniforms its officers wear, because the death of George Floyd has "severely undermined community trust ... and sense of safety."
The Park Board, if two resolutions are adopted Wednesday at its regularly scheduled meeting, would join the Minneapolis School District and the University of Minnesota in distancing itself from the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake Floyd's May 25 death after being pinned to the pavement during his arrest.
School District officials said they would no longer have city police act as school resource officers. University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel said her school also was cutting some of its ties with the city police, including the contracting of off-duty security for football games, concerts and ceremonies.
The Park Board resolutions would direct Superintendent Alfred Bangoura to immediately stop using Minneapolis police to staff park-sanctioned events and block Park Board officers from responding to Minneapolis police calls.
"Recent actions by the Minneapolis Police Department in the alleged murder of George Floyd while in police custody have severely undermined community trust in, and sense of safety around, Minneapolis Police," the resolution reads. "This severe undermining of trust and safety by Minneapolis Police does not support the mission of the MPRB and has no place in our parks."
However, Park Board spokeswoman Dawn Sommers said people should not expect park police officers from failing respond to an urgent situation unfolding before them outside of their jurisdiction.
"If there a critical emergency or something big ... our officers are sworn to protect people," Sommers said. "They are going to respond when somebody needs help."
A related resolution up for debate would redesign Park Police uniforms to distinguish them from Minneapolis police uniforms. The resolution notes that park officers have worn uniforms nearly identical to those worn by city police for nearly 100 years to allow for "immediate recognition of authority" while on duty and "to assist with providing seamless delivery of services across the city and park system."
However, the proposal continues, "the Park Police Department has a unique mission and culture that is different from the MPD." The resolution calls for the new design to be presented to the board by Oct. 1.
Also being put before the board Wednesday is a resolution asking the state Legislature to repeal the so-called Stanek Law, which since 1999 has prevented municipalities from having the option to require its police officers live in the community they serve.
The resolution noted that 92 percent of Minneapolis police officers live outside the city. The proposal did not disclose what percentage of Park Police live beyond the city's borders.
The Park Police is 130 years old and has more than 30 sworn officers supported by nearly two dozen part-time park patrol agents. Roughly 18% of the city of Minneapolis is Park Board land.
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June 03, 2020 at 09:52PM
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Minneapolis Park Board moving to end relationship with Minneapolis police, differentiate uniforms - Minneapolis Star Tribune
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