remembering five years since george floyd’s murder

5 years ago today, George Floyd was murdered by MPD. His execution came after and before many more at the hands of police nationwide. Many carry on the hurt and pain from his murder and from the murder of others. This is a sobering reminder that, even after 5 years, the systemic accountability and change that was necessary has not come.

People of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, people with mental health conditions, and the LGBTQ+ community continue to experience violence in many forms at disproportionate rates: basic needs of education, housing, and healthcare are not met; neighborhoods are overpoliced; and many are brutalized and imprisoned. To this day, disadvantaged communities do not feel safe calling 911, and many city residents do not receive the help they need even when they do call.

The Department of Justice’s horrifying report on MPD shed a light on what continues to take place in our city. Sadly, under the Trump administration, the DOJ abandoned efforts (consent decree) to legally require reform and change in MPD. However, many meaningful strides have been made, and we *must* continue advancing and funding these efforts.

Our vision in public safety is 3-fold: we cannot police our way out of poverty or towards safety, we must build on the success of alternative measures to ensure safety for all, and we must place accountability of police into community hands. There are those who would spend millions on police without a thought for what the people need to survive. We need less police and more human rights.

Today, I ask you to reflect on the stories of those who’ve experienced police violence. I ask you to hear the stories of their loved ones, families, and friends. I ask that you read about systemic inequities and the interconnectedness of poverty, our criminal justice system, houselessness, war and genocide abroad, and our immigration system. I ask you to imagine a better system of public safety that works for all of us.