A major highlight of the meeting was the commission’s decision to push for the development of a standalone sexual misconduct policy within the Minneapolis Police Department. The Office of Police Conduct Review (OPCR) recommended this new policy to address gaps in handling sexual misconduct involving the public. Currently, the department’s policies cover internal employee conduct but lack explicit guidelines for incidents involving the community. This policy initiative is designed to increase public trust and reduce related complaints through better training and awareness, aligning with best practices from various national agencies.

The commission expressed strong support for this recommendation, with a member suggesting that the Policy, Research, and Review Committee collaborate with the city attorney’s office to draft a resolution. The motion to further this initiative was met with agreement.

Additionally, the commission unanimously approved a motion for the Internal Affairs Division to provide anonymized synopses of fully investigated cases. This move aims to enhance oversight capabilities by allowing commissioners to make more informed decisions. However, the burden of staffing shortages was highlighted, with an Internal Affairs representative noting that the division is stretched thin and struggling to balance its workload. The representative emphasized the need for additional resources to handle the backlog of cases and meet the demands of producing these summaries without compromising the unit’s primary mission of investigating misconduct complaints.

The meeting also delved into staffing updates and workload challenges within the police department’s Internal Affairs Division and the Office of Police Conduct Review. Staffing shortages were a concern, with both units reporting understaffing issues that impact their ability to meet compliance and operational requirements. The Internal Affairs Division, despite recently hiring an Administrative Support Specialist, remains in need of more personnel to handle the increasing volume of complaints and investigations.

Efforts to address these challenges include closing a Request for Proposals for external vendors to develop a training plan based on standard operating procedures. However, the division still faces a backlog of administrative investigations and supervisory reviews, prompting discussions on potential outside assistance to manage the workload effectively.

The commission also addressed community engagement strategies, with the Community Engagement Committee proposing a theory of action to enhance police-community relations. This proposal includes conducting listening sessions with neighborhood organizations to gather feedback on police disciplinary panels. The commission voted unanimously in support of this initiative.

In their ongoing efforts to improve police oversight, the commission discussed challenges in maintaining quorum for committee meetings and the need for greater member participation. The Community Engagement Committee faced difficulties achieving the required attendance, prompting reminders to members about their commitment to the commission’s work.

The commission also recognized the importance of learning from other civilian oversight bodies, with discussions on engaging with nearby St. Paul’s practices to enhance their operations. The recent NACOLE conference was noted as a valuable experience for commissioners, offering insights into police reform and oversight that could inform future efforts in Minneapolis.

Finally, the meeting concluded with updates on the implementation of new policies and training programs within the police department. Efforts to improve data systems for better transparency and usability were highlighted, along with initiatives to fill community engagement unit positions to strengthen police-community relations. The commission continues to focus on balancing the urgency of policy recommendations with the existing workload, emphasizing the need for reflective practices and consistent alignment between new policies and training.