Minneapolis Must Hire More Cops, MN Supreme Court Rules

MINNEAPOLIS — The city of Minneapolis must hire more police officers, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Monday.

Under the city charter, Mayor Jacob Frey has a "clear legal duty" to staff the police department with at least 731 officers, wrote Chief Justice Lorie Gildea.

The ruling comes after eight residents who were concerned about rising violent crime sued the city. They argued that officials were failing to follow section 7.3(c) of the city charter, which states that the city must fund a police force of at least 0.0017 employees per resident.

About 300 officers have left the Minneapolis Police Department since George Floyd was killed in May 2020 at the hands of former officer Derek Chauvin. Some officers have retired, while others filed disability claims over trauma related to the street violence that broke out after Floyd’s death.

Interim City Attorney Peter Ginder said the city has experienced "an unprecedented loss of personnel that is not easily corrected."

"Mayor Jacob Frey, the Minneapolis Police Department and city are working in good faith to recruit and hire more community-oriented peace officers as quickly as reasonably possible," he said.

In March, the Minneapolis City Council approved a new collective bargaining contract with the city's police union that will offer $7,000 as an incentive to become and stay an officer.

New officers will receive $3,500 upon completion of the field training program and an additional $3,500 upon completion of probation. Current officers will also benefit. They will receive a bonus of $3,500 now and another $3,500 if they stay on duty through Dec. 31.

Following the state high court's ruling, the Hennepin County Court will be in charge of enforcing the minimum staffing requirement.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.