By Melanie Eversley
Democrats in Minnesota are sharply divided over the concept of replacing the entire Minneapolis Police Department after the May 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by white former Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
Progressive such as U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Attorney General Keith Ellison support the idea U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov. Tim Walz oppose it, the Associated Press reports.
Many in the Democratic ranks believe it is the messaging that is slowing the advancement of the idea. Slogans like “defund the police” are a turnoff for some, they said.
“When we say ‘defund’ we lose the argument,” Texas Democratic strategist Colin Strother told the AP.
The proposal will appear on the Nov. 2 general ballot and will call for the police department to be replace by a Department of Public Safety.
Ellison told the news organization that supporters want more ways to keep the public safe. “They want other people who have expertise in mental health, housing, violence reduction and intervention,” he said.
