SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Rep. Jamie Long (DFL – Minneapolis) and Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL – Brooklyn Center) that would prevent dangerous interactions between Minnesotans and police officers. The bill, which was introduced in response to the killing of Daunte Wright, aims to reduce encounters where police arrest people who have missed court appearances for certain low-level offenses.
“Reducing the number of occasions where police take people into custody will make Minnesotans safer,” said Rep. Long. “Our goal is to lower the temperature in police interactions whenever possible. Providing a court date to someone who never got the notice is a simple step but could have a big impact in promoting safety for both officers and the public.”
“This is a common sense change we can make to policing to ensure that individuals who interact with police officers can get home safely,” said Rep. Vang. “These are the kinds of changes we must make so that officers can focus more on emergency situations and Minnesotans of color can feel safe in their communities. Our goal is to prevent another traumatic event while allowing our justice system to function appropriately.”
Continue reading “Minnesota House passes bill to prevent unnecessary interactions with law enforcement”