Elected officials in a Minneapolis suburb where a police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April approved a resolution that puts the city on track to major changes to its policing practices.
The Brooklyn Center (MN) City Council voted 4-1 Saturday in favor of a resolution that would create new divisions of unarmed civilian employees to handle non-moving traffic violations and respond to mental health crises. It also limits situations in which officers can make arrests and requires more de-escalation efforts by police before using deadly force. In addition, a new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention would be formed to oversee efforts on community health and public safety, led by a director with public health expertise.
The city attorney and mayor have said that adopting the resolution commits the city to change, though it is not a final action, the Associated Press reports.
Several police groups have raised concerns, saying parts of the resolution conflict with state law and will put public safety at risk.
