Minneapolis City Council approves new public safety system

Meanwhile in Seattle, a judge ordered police to temporarily halt using tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang devices to break up peaceful protests.

A police officer stands guard during a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Boston, Massachusetts, US on June 7, 2020.
Reuters

A police officer stands guard during a protest against racial inequality in the aftermath of the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Boston, Massachusetts, US on June 7, 2020.

Minneapolis leaders voted unanimously on Friday to disband the US city's police force and replace it with a "community" safety department, a reaction to transformational changes demanded in mass protests against racial injustice.

The plan comes three weeks after the death of African-American George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, a killing that sparked widespread calls for police reform.

The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a resolution instructing it to "commence a year-long process of community engagement, research, and structural change to create a transformative new model for cultivating safety in our city."

"The murder of George Floyd... by Minneapolis police officers is a tragedy that shows that no amount of reforms will prevent lethal violence and abuse by some members of the Police Department against members of our community, especially Black people and people of colour," the resolution added.

"Together, we will identify what safety looks like for everyone."

The council will bring together stakeholders addressing the issues of violence prevention, civil rights, race equity, community relations and 911 emergency services.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the George Floyd killing and the protests

Community-oriented replacement

The move comes days after the council, with a veto-proof majority, pledged to disband the police department and create a community-oriented replacement. Friday's vote is the next step in formalising the move.

"As we respond to demands for immediate action to reduce police violence and support community safety, we will invite our community to help shape long-term transformative change, centring the voices of those most impacted by community violence and police violence," City Council President Lisa Bender said.

Bender and other council members said they intend to put the police removal plan to Minneapolis voters in the November 3 election.

Some activists have described the broader effort as a movement to "defund the police."

Others have bristled at the language, saying authorities should reform troubled police departments, not scrap them altogether.

Fourteen uniformed Minneapolis police officers signed an open letter Thursday condemning the actions of their former colleague and Floyd's killer, Derek Chauvin.

"This is not who we are," they wrote.

READ MORE: Why police brutality persists in the US

Seattle to stop using tear gas during protests

A US judge ordered Seattle police to temporarily halt using tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang devices to break up peaceful protests. 

The city, long known as liberal with a lengthy history of protests, has been taking hits from all sides including protesters, some city officials, the president and now a judge over police response to recent demonstrations.

US District Judge Richard Jones issued the two-week order after a Black Lives Matter group sued the Seattle Police Department this week to halt the violent tactics it has used to break up protests.

Officers last weekend used tear gas, pepper spray and other force against crowds that were demonstrating following George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best have apologised to peaceful protesters who were subjected to chemical weapons. But Best has said some demonstrators violently targeted police, throwing objects and ignoring orders to disperse. Both have faced calls to resign, which they have rejected.

The judge said those objecting to police using violent tactics to break up protests make a strong case that the indiscriminate use of force is unconstitutional.

Jones said weapons like tear gas and pepper spray fail to target “any single agitator or criminal” and they are especially problematic during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Because they are indiscriminate, they may even spill into bystanders’ homes or offices as they have done before,” Jones wrote.

Route 6