The Minneapolis City Council president said the city is aiming to have a “police-free future” as it shifts to dismantle its police department following the death of George Floyd.
Council President Lisa Bender noted on Monday that the change will take time but said that the city is aspiring to change the department completely with the goal of eventually eliminating police altogether.
“I think the idea of having a police-free future is very aspirational, and I am willing to stand with community members who are asking us to think of that as the goal because so many folks in our community have seen us work on reform,” she told CNN’s Chris Cuomo.
Bender also addressed the controversial remarks she made that morning when she claimed that it was a “privilege” to feel safe calling the police when there is a threat against one’s home or family.
“Our number one priority is the safety of every single person in our community. Yes, we still have a police department today. We have had a police department for 150 years. So as we look forward into the future, the answer is yes, absolutely, if something is happening there needs to be someone to call,” she said. “And, the answer is yes, that absolutely, we need to make sure every single person in our community feels safe.”
The city council has a veto-proof majority looking to defund and disband the police department in Minneapolis following Floyd’s death. Floyd died after an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. Since Floyd’s death, Minneapolis and cities across the nation have witnessed protests against racial injustice and police brutality, some of which have devolved into violent riots featuring arson, looting, and vandalism.
