Minneapolis mayor, police chief lay out crime fighting plan

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — City leaders in Minneapolis have a new crime fighting plan that includes hiring dozens of police officers to fortify a department that has lost hundreds of officers since 2020 when George Floyd was murdered.

Mayor Jacob Frey and incoming interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman rolled out their plan Wednesday to not only hire more officers, but expand partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and strengthen units that investigate violent robberies and carjackings.

Frey said that in addition to hiring five new recruit classes, the department will direct its resources to areas that need it most, including assigning officers to neighborhoods where stolen vehicles are frequently abandoned, the Star Tribune reported.

“It’s clear that violent crime and the fear of violent crime is hurting our city,” Huffman said. “In fact, it’s hurting our entire metro area.”

The plan comes two months after Minneapolis voters rejected a ballot measure that would have replaced the police department with an agency that would take more of a public health approach to crime prevention.

Since the start of 2020, the department has lost roughly 300 officers, creating significant staffing shortages.

Huffman said the department will continue working with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office to identify crime patterns. The department would also continue working with community-based organizations, such as 21 Days of Peace and A Mother’s Love Initiative, she said.

Huffman was named the department’s interim chief last month, replacing Medaria Arradondo, who will retire in January.