The city possesses one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, with twice the national average of robbery, rape, and assault.
In response to the unrest following the death of George Floyd, Ilhan Omar today became the first member of Congress to publicly support abolishing the police force of Minneapolis. The statement came in response to City Council members rallying behind the previously unthinkable policy.
An article published at Time by City Council member Steve Fletcher argues that because of their inability to reform, he is supporting the call to “disband our police department and start fresh with a community oriented, non-violent, public safety and outreach capacity.”
The policy suggests increased use of medical responders, and the creation of vague “unarmed, community-oriented street teams.” The policy does not address how violent crime will be handled in the city.
