Minneapolis City Council members approved a budget this week that makes their largest changes yet to policing and public safety since George Floyd's death. Before they took a final vote, the council members voted individually on the six largest pieces of the package. On Monday, they discussed each item individually, examining the original proposals, considering alternatives and, if those failed, taking another vote on the original proposal. Here's a snapshot of how those votes went.
Mental Health Services proposal
Cuts about $5.7 million from the Police Department to expand violence prevention and mental health programs. Moves responsibility for theft and property damage reports to other departments and adds civilians to the Office of Police Conduct Review. The money had been earmarked for police overtime, the mounted patrol unit and a new system to flag troubling behavior among officers.
Alternate proposed
Creates a roughly $4 million fund to support many of the same efforts, as pilot programs. Most of that money comes from savings they would get by extending a hiring freeze. Fails 6-7
Second alternate proposed
Leaves most of the proposal intact but funds the early warning system for officers, instead of adding people to the Office of Police Conduct Review. Fails 6-7
Initial proposal passes 11-2
In favor: Kevin Reich, Cam Gordon, Phillipe Cunningham, Jeremiah Ellison, Andrea Jenkins, Alondra Cano, Lisa Bender, Jeremy Schroeder, Andrew Johnson, Steve Fletcher, Jamal Osman
Against: Lisa Goodman, Linea Palmisano
Community navigators proposal
Moves community navigators and a manager from the Police Department to the Office of Violence Prevention, transferring nearly $600,000. Community navigators connect crime victims with services.
Alternate proposed
Leaves community navigators in the Police Department but seeks to boost accountability for the program. Fails 5-8
Initial proposal passes 10-3
In favor: Gordon, Cunningham, Ellison, Osman, Goodman, Jenkins, Bender, Schroeder, Johnson, Fletcher
Against: Reich, Cano, Palmisano
Crime prevention proposal
Moves all 17 Crime Prevention Specialists from the Police Department to the Neighborhood & Community Relations Department, transferring nearly $1.5 million. These workers send out crime alerts and coordinate with block clubs.
Alternate proposed
Moves 11 Crime Prevention Specialists from the Police Department to the Neighborhood & Community Relations Department, transferring about $1.1 million. Also moves the police spokesperson back into the Police Department, reversing a move council made earlier this year. Fails 3-10
Initial proposal passes 13-0
Reserve fund proposal
Creates a Public Safety Staffing Reserve fund that will hold money the Police Department can access, if the council agrees to release it in separate votes next year. They moved $6.4 million for two out of three recruit classes into the fund.
Alternate proposed
Creates the same reserve fund, but releases the money after the Police Department submits a public, quarterly report. The fund would hold $11.4 million, to offset cuts to overtime and fund two recruit classes. Fails 6-7
Initial proposal passes 9-3-1
In favor: Reich, Gordon, Cunningham, Ellison, Osman, Jenkins, Bender, Schroeder, Fletcher
Against: Goodman, Cano, Palmisano
Abstain: Johnson
Police force size proposal
Reduces the authorized sworn force size from 888 to 750, starting in 2022. This passed 7-6 on Monday, but the council reversed that decision 7-6 on Wednesday, with Jenkins serving as the swing vote.
Initial proposal passes 7-6, then reversed 7-6
In favor: Gordon, Cunningham, Ellison, Bender, Schroeder, Fletcher
Against: Reich, Osman, Goodman, Cano, Johnson, Palmisano
Swing: Jenkins
Offsetting cuts proposal
Moves $5 million of excess money in the general fund to the new Public Safety Staffing Reserve to offset cuts to police overtime, if council agrees to release the money.
Initial proposal passes 10-3
In favor: Reich, Gordon, Cunningham, Osman, Goodman, Jenkins, Cano, Schroeder, Johnson, Palmisano
Against: Ellison, Bender, Fletcher
