MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis City Council has voted against a new $15 million police incentive plan.
The council rejected the plan by a vote of 8-5 Friday during a special meeting called by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
The city's labor negotiators signed a tentative deal with the police union earlier this month to offer $18,000 in bonuses over 2.5 years to existing officers and $15,000 to new recruits over the same time period, in exchange for granting Police Chief Brian O'Hara expanded power to fill empty shifts more quickly. Funding for the proposal would have drawn from one-time public safety aid passed earlier this year by the state legislature.
However, during a budget committee meeting earlier this week, several council members expressed strong opposition to the proposal, ranging from progressives like Ward 2's Robin Wonsley to the more moderate Emily Koski of Ward 11. Ultimately, the council voted to keep the item off the agenda.
During Friday's meeting, KARE 11's Lou Raguse reported Minneapolis Chief Human Resources Officer Nikki Odom gave a presentation with other contributors, including O'Hara, describing a plan that would cost $15.3 million to the city. Council member Elliot Payne questioned the spending, while Koski took issue with it being painted as "anti-police" after voting no earlier. Koski also said she felt Frey didn't keep the council informed during the process.
"I believe it's an effort to politicize public safety to scare us," said Koski.
Frey stressed that he gave council members the deal that was negotiated between the city and the police union as soon as it was signed.
"Not only were council members informed, they sat on the contract negotiation work group, the negotiation sessions were public, and all the information was provided. To pretend otherwise is to skirt responsibility," Frey said.
Council member LaTrisha Vetaw gave an emotional speech about her conversations with families of murder victims who know how low police staffing is at the MPD. According to city officials, the police are currently down 359 officers with a nearly 40% vacancy rate.
Multiple council members also called into question the effectiveness that financial incentives have on retention and recruitment.
When asked about what steps he intends to take next, Mayor Frey said he doesn't have a solution but said that they're going to move forward immediately with negotiations on the contract.
"At this point, I think the best route is to move forward with a contract in the immediacy," Frey said during a press conference following he vote. "As to how to spend the $19 million (in state aid), I'm not going to come up with a solution on my own."
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