Friday, July 16, 2021

Maintaining First Amendment Rights and Public Safety in North Minneapolis: An After-Action Assessment of the Police Response to Protests, Demonstrations, and Occupation of the Minneapolis Police Department's Fourth Precinct


Abstract:
 Following the fatal police shooting of a member of their North Minneapolis community in 2015, a group of residents demonstrated at the Minneapolis Police Department's (MPD) Fourth Precinct headquarters, blocking access to the building and occupying the area around it for 18 days. Though the incident was handled with restraint and did not escalate into significant violence and property damage, there were still a number of lessons learned in multiple areas. This COPS Office After-Action Assessment, completed in partnership with the Police Foundation, provides a comprehensive review of the response to the protests from the perspectives of the MPD, elected leaders, and demonstrators and community members. The report presents findings focused on leadership; command and control; response to civil disorder; accountability and transparency; internal communications; public information and media; use of force; intelligence gathering; training; technology; and officer morale. Though the protests and temporary occupation of the precinct headquarters was a unique incident, the lessons learned from it can be applied to mass demonstrations, civil disturbances, and similar critical incidents in other communities.

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