MPD, Mayor Announce Changes at Police Department

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — This week the Mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, along with the Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced plans to rework the MPD disciplinary process.

The changes were announced Tuesday.

Among the notable changes, now a city attorney will be embedded early in the process of any police misconduct investigations. The goal of this move is to secure investigative integrity. For example, that city attorney could offer guidance in an investigation and analyze available evidence. A city attorney could also give legal counsel to the chief amid disciplinary decisions.

City attorney's office staff will also help with training.

The Police Department will continue to work with the city attorney's office to improve the PD's disciplinary process.

"Today we announced new measures for the MPD to improve the likelihood of disciplinary decisions being upheld, marking an important next step in the City’s commitment to accountability and enhancing thorough misconduct investigations," the Mayor wrote on Facebook Tuesday. "Holding our officers – and ourselves – to the highest standards will always require process, but we cannot allow inefficiencies or gaps to increase the odds of a bad cop being put back on the street."