Minnesota Supreme Court refuses to review judge's order to hire 730 more Minneapolis police officers
Voters will also decide a ballot measure to replace police department altogether
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a request from the city of Minneapolis for an emergency review of a judge's order requiring at least 730 police officers to be hired by next summer in order to comply with the city charter's requirement for the force based on the population of residents.
Without providing an explanation, Chief Justice Lorie Gildea denied the city of Minneapolis’ request for an "accelerated review," which would have bypassed the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported. The city sought the review of the order issued by Hennepin County Judge Jamie Anderson last month in order to provide more clarification before the November election.
Anderson ordered city council and Mayor Jacob Frey to "immediately take any and all necessary action to ensure they fund a police force," requiring at least 730 sworn officers to be employed by June 30, 2022.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MINNESOTA CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE POLICE DEPARTMENT GETS $1M IN NATIONAL, LOCAL DONATIONS
While "disappointed" over the decision, the city attorney’s office is "reviewing how best to proceed as we continue to pursue the appeal in the Court of Appeals," city spokesperson Casper Hill said Tuesday, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Residents in northern Minneapolis, which has been plagued by violence since widespread demonstrations calling to "defund the police" broke out after George Floyd’s death, had filed a lawsuit against Frey and city council arguing they were in violation of the city charter that mandates the police department maintain a certain number of officers based on population.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Separately, voters will decide a ballot measure to replace the police department altogether.
Nearly $1 million in national and local campaign funding has flooded into Minneapolis to support the group Yes 4 Minneapolis, which brought forward the ballot measure proposing the police department be scrapped and a new public safety agency be created in its place.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Critics have argued the concerns of local residents are being drowned out by outside dollars.