Minneapolis to overhaul police training, use-of-force policies after George Floyd’s death

The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved an agreement Monday with the federal government to overhaul police training policies and the city’s use of force in response to the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.

The deal includes and builds on changes made by Minneapolis police since former officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of killing Floyd after kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes during his arrest in May 2020, which sparked protests across the country.

Known as the consent decree, the agreement requires officers to “promote the sanctity of human life as a top priority in their duties” and “conduct their law enforcement duties with professionalism and respect for the dignity of all persons.”

Police officers must not allow race, gender or national origin to “influence any decision to use force, including the amount or type of force used.”

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The deal will put the police department under long-term court supervision. The department has been in talks with the federal government since the Justice Department issued a tougher punishment for Minneapolis police in 2023.

After a two-year investigation, the DOJ accused the department of engaging in racial discrimination, violating constitutional rights and disregarding the safety of people in their custody for years before Floyd’s death. The DOJ said police used excessive force, including “arbitrary lethal force” and violated First Amendment free speech rights.

“George Floyd’s death was not only a tragedy, it was powerful for the city and the entire country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department’s human rights division, on Monday at a press conference. “All eyes remain on Minneapolis, and with this consent announcement, we now have a roadmap for change that will help this community recover while strengthening trust between law enforcement and the people they serve.”

The Minneapolis City Council has approved an agreement with the federal government to overhaul police training and use-of-force policies in connection with the killing of George Floyd. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

The independent watchdog will oversee changes to police training and policies, which must be approved by a judge.

“I want to thank our community for standing together, for being united on this, and for being patient with us as we have gone through a very long and challenging journey,” City Council President Elliott Payne said Monday following the vote. “We are just getting started, and we know that we still have a long way to go. Our success will only be seen if we all work together on what is arguably one of the most important issues in the life of our city.”

In 2023, a state court approved a similar agreement between Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights after the agency issued its own report the year before. A federal investigation found that the city’s police had been involved in racial profiling for at least a decade.

The DOJ has opened 12 concurrent investigations of federal and local law enforcement agencies across the country since April 2021, including many in response to mass police killings. If approved by the courts, the DOJ will be enforcing the “pattern and practice” settlement of 16 police officers across the country.

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Council President Elliott Payne, center, and the Minneapolis City Council voted to go into closed session immediately after going into session to discuss a federal proclamation authorizing changes to the Minneapolis police department, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP)

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The DOJ reached settlements with Seattle, New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago and Ferguson, Missouri. A plea agreement with Louisville, Kentucky, regarding the police shooting of Breonna Taylor is pending court approval. The mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, last month pushed back on efforts to issue a permit, saying the city has made many positive changes since the Tire Nichols shooting.

During his first administration, President-elect Donald Trump criticized consent laws, regarding them as police.

The Minneapolis deal, which becomes final before Trump returns to office later this month, will make it difficult for him to stop the deal, as changes will need court approval.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.