By Liz Navratil
Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis City Council members gave preliminary approval Monday to a plan that would cut at least $6 million from the Minneapolis Police Department and use it to fund alternate public safety efforts.
The move came as part of their efforts to reach a deal for a 2021 budget, the first since George Floyd’s death.
Their debate was still unfolding late Monday afternoon and council members are expected to vote later in the day on proposals that could offset some of those cuts.
Mayor Jacob Frey has pitched a roughly $1.5 billion budget for 2021, which includes about $179 million for the police department. That includes about $10 million for police overtime — some to help respond to 911 calls amid an officer shortage and some to prepare for the potential for more unrest surrounding the trials for the officers charged in Floyd’s death.
Voting 11-2, City Council members have so far approved a plan to cut roughly $5.7 million from the police department, including $5 million for overtime. That money would instead be used to fund violence prevention programs, mental health crisis teams and efforts to move property damage and parking violation complaints to other city departments.
Council members are expected to vote later Monday on other proposals, including one that could offset some of those cuts. They are also expected to debate police staffing levels for future years.
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