During the rally, the council members promised to re-invest funds into community-led safety initiatives instead of the police department, Fox 9 reported. They also encouraged members of the Minneapolis community to come forward and engage in a conversation on how to build a “new transformative model for cultivating safety.”
Ahead of their formal announcement, several council members shared the news on social media, promising their constituents that change would come.
"We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together," Ellison shared on Twitter Thursday. "We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. It’s really past due."
After their announcement, Ward 11's Schroeder shared, "Pleased to stand with the community and my City Council colleagues today to imagine a new, better approach to public safety in Minneapolis. The time has come."
Their announcement comes after several other entities, such as Minneapolis Public Schools, the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Parks and Recreation decided to terminate their partnerships with the police department in the wake of Floyd's death.
Last week, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights also announced their plans to launch an investigation into the city's police department, which will look at Minneapolis police policies and procedures throughout the last 10 years to determine whether the department has engaged in discriminatory practices toward people of color, the Star Tribune reported.
Footage of Floyd's murder was shared online and went viral, shedding light on the systemic racism and police brutality present in society.
The officer involved, Chauvin, has since been charged with second-degree murder. Three other officers on the scene were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. None of the accused has entered a formal plea.
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
- Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.
- ColorofChange.org works to make government more responsive to racial disparities.
- National Cares Mentoring Movement (caresmentoring.org) provides social and academic support to help black youth succeed in college and beyond.
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