Nearly three years after the death of black American George Floyd, the city of Minneapolis announced Friday that it had approved a plan to reform the police force. Floyd died on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis when a white cop’s knee was pressed to his neck for more than eight minutes.
The incident was filmed by a witness. The death of Floyd and other black people from police brutality led to large demonstrations in the United States in 2020. Those so-called Black Lives Matter protests later spread to the rest of the world.
The security services in the city in the north of the US came under heavy fire. An investigation launched by the Minnesota Human Rights Department after Floyd’s death concluded last year that the tragedy was part of a pattern of “racial discrimination” within the Minneapolis Police Department.
“Today, we confront our past and move forward with a roadmap for meaningful change in our city,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement. “Our main goal is a better and fairer approach to policing and public safety in Minneapolis.”
The settlement, which has yet to be approved by the court, is more than 140 pages long. Among other things, it has been decided that tasers may only be used if the police have a reason to make an arrest and if it is necessary to “protect the officer, the person or a third party”. In addition, it also includes sections on the use of bodycams and cameras on dashboards, agent wellbeing, and responding to mental health and behavioral crises. The plan also states that an independent assessor must be appointed to check whether the rules are being complied with.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss a thing of the stars.