Minneapolis City Council votes to replace the police department with a new organization

By JOSHUA HOYOS and CHRISTINA CARREGA, ABC NEWS

(MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.) -- The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously on Friday to advance its plan to eliminate the police department and create a new public safety unit.

On the heels of the death of George Floyd on May 25, protests have sparked across the country with demands to defund and dismantle police departments.

The caught-on-camera incident showed four former Minneapolis police officers contribute to Floyd's death—specifically, Derek Chauvin pressing his knee onto the back of Floyd's neck for almost eight minutes.

While Chauvin and the three other officers were fired from the department and charged in connection to Floyd's murder, the Minneapolis City Council has made efforts to change the city's policing policies, including banning chokeholds.

Friday's proposed amendments would update the city's charter to replace the police with a new organization: the Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.

Under that organization there would be a Division of Law Enforcement Services, which will be "composed of licensed peace officers, subject to the supervision of the department of community safety and violence prevention," according to the proposed ordinance.

Council President Lisa Bender said the goal is to change the charter and get it on the ballot for a public vote this November.

If approved by voters, the changes would become effective May 1, 2021.

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