A recent poll found that 49% of Minneapolis residents support the proposal for a new Department of Public Safety; 40% oppose the proposal and 10% are undecided.

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Safiya Mohamed reports: 

On Thursday evening, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of the wording of the charter question on the Minneapolis ballot. The proposed amendment would replace the current Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety. 

“This is an exciting time for the City of Minneapolis,” said Minister JaNae Bates of Yes 4 Minneapolis, the group pushing for the charter change. 

Bates says the charter amendment has gained what she describes as “manufactured controversy.” She says people in power are telling lies to the public about the charter for their own self-interests.  

“They thought that they could take the votes from over 100,000 people in Minneapolis who deserve to have a say about their public safety,” said Bates. “And the Supreme Court ruled that to be false - that the people do have a right to vote on this important issue that they have fought long and hard for.” 

A recent poll taken by MPR, StarTribune, Kare11, and Frontline Minnesota found that 49% of Minneapolis residents support the proposal of a new Department of Public Safety. 40% oppose the proposal; 10% are undecided. Bates says she believes the people of Minneapolis will vote in a way that protects and advances their community. 

“The hope and prayer is that the people of Minneapolis, lean into the best version of themselves that they vote their values around just being safe,” she said.

Opponents of the charter proposal say they want to keep the mandatory minimum staffing level for Minneapolis police. 

Early voting is open now in Minneapolis at the Office of Elections & Voter Services.