It is difficult to describe with words on paper what we have gone through together since we began this campaign. On Memorial day, the Minneapolis Police Department murdered a black man named George Floyd on 38th and Chicago, the heart of our Senate District. As a young black man, every instance of police violence against our community is a personal reminder that the Minneapolis Police Department isn’t here to protect and serve. From my experience I can tell you this: the trauma of George Floyd’s murder will never go away. The only thing we can do is continue to organize for justice and change.

This June, we all witnessed the power of direct action. Massive protests started conversations around the world about our system of policing and the racism and classism that it upholds. Elected officials who were previously silent on the issue are beginning to speak up. We cannot simply put our faith in a system that got us to this point. We need to continue to mobilize and work at all levels to replace our current model for public safety with one that protects people over property and answers directly to the people.

TAKE ON THE GUN INDUSTRY

  • No other industry has escaped regulation as much as the gun industry has. The only way to address the epidemic of guns on our streets is at the source.
  • We need to ban the manufacture and sale of guns whose sole purpose is to inflict violence against human beings including military-style semi-automatics such as the AR-15 as well as semi-automatic handguns.
  • In order to drive a car legally in the state of MN, new drivers must go through a lengthy process to assess their knowledge and competency. They must also frequently renew their credentials. It's time to enact similar requirements for gun ownership including universal background checks.
  • We must oppose efforts to combat gun violence through the erosion of 4th amendment rights. In a country with more guns than people, we cannot stop and frisk our way out of this problem. It must be addressed at the source.
Mom's Demand Action demonstrate at the MN Capitol in favor of action on gun safety.
Mom's Demand Action demonstrate at the MN Capitol in favor of action on gun safety ─ from Star Tribune 12/30/2020

END VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS

  • Tear gas is a dangerous, abortifacient, chemical weapon that is prohibited for use in warfare, yet we have seen it used against peaceful protestors, which can lead to needless death. We need to ban tear gas statewide.
  • During the unrest following the murder of George Floyd, many South Minneapolis residents were shot with rubber bullets, some for simply being outside on their own porch. Rubber bullets can lead to death and permanent, life-altering injury. We should treat rubber bullets as live ammunition and use neither against peaceful protestors for exercising their first amendment rights.
Omar Fateh and his Campaign Manager peacefully protest alongside thousands at Hennepin County Government Center ─ from our archives, June 2020

REPEAL STATEWIDE PROHIBITIONS ON CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT.

  • In 2012, the MN Legislature passed a law preventing civilian oversight of the police, over the objections of municipal leaders.
  • The Peace Officer Discipline Procedures Act prevents cities from creating meaningful civilian review boards for officer misconduct. Under the statute, civilian review boards cannot issue a finding of fact or recommendation for disciplinary action.
  • The law also protects officers from having photographic evidence released, which has been used by lawyers to try to stop video evidence of police brutality from surfacing in public.
  • We must repeal this law and enshrine civilian review in all of our cities, giving the public more power of oversight.
  • The "Stanek Residency Freedom Law," passed in 1999, is a statewide prohibition on issuing residency requirements for officers. By not allowing municipalities to hire their own residents, we have seen that in some cities, ninety or more percent of police officers do not live in the areas they police. Under this policy, officers are encouraged to adopt the mentality of an outside occupying force as opposed to public servants keeping their community safe. The Stanek Law has got to go.

END BROKEN WINDOWS POLICING

  • When you have a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail. We are sending in militarized police to deal with everyday problems that could be addressed with alternative responder systems.
  • We have seen countless situations in which those experiencing a mental health emergency have the police show up only to make matters worse. There needs to be a system in place to get people emergency help that doesn't involve police, meaning crisis counselers, mental health experts, and medics are sent in first.
  • When responding to homelessness, the police don't have the ability to get folks into shelter or permanent housing; they can only arrest or disperse. If we want to live in a society without homelessness, we need to free up our housing stock and send in public workers to connect folks with available resources.
  • Not all problems rise to the level of needing armed officers to show up. We need to consider the consequences of adding guns into situations of conflict, the fear that that causes, and the potential to make matters worse. It's time to end broken windows policing.
Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley speaks at Powderhorn Park Encampment. ─ from Southside Pride, 6/22/2020