Latest Minneapolis police reform report praises training policies, accountability; notes internal affairs backlog

The latest semi-annual Minneapolis Police Department reform progress report was released Wednesday, issued by independent evaluator Effective Law Enforcement For All.

The report, which covers policing between October 2025 and March of this year, is part of the effort to monitor compliance with the settlement agreement between Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights following the murder of George Floyd by now-former officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020. 

The report compliments the department for its training on policies regarding use of force, accountability and officer conduct. It also notes the expansion of officer wellness initiatives and Early Intervention System policies. 

However, the report alleges there have been delays in implementing some of the intervention policies, and decries the wellness program's staffing shortage.  

The department's backlog of unresolved internal affairs investigations and issues on data collection were also pinpointed in the report, with some initiatives still behind schedule. 

The decree requires law enforcement to meet specific goals before federal oversight is removed, including changes to the use of force policy, limiting military-style tactics during protests and banning handcuffing children under 14.    

Just over a year ago, a federal judge dismissed a possible federal consent decree with the department, leading to now-former police chief Brian O'Hara, Mayor Jacob Frey and leaders from the state human rights department to double down on a joint commitment to the local decree.