A Hennepin County judge has granted an Alternative Writ of Mandamus in the Upper Midwest Law Center’s lawsuit seeking to compel Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to comply with the city’s legally required police staffing minimum.
The case, brought on behalf of Minneapolis residents Ronald Peterson, John Tschohl, Laverne Turner, and Mary Holmberg, seeks to enforce Section 7.3(c) of the Minneapolis City Charter, which requires the city to employ a police force of at least 0.0017 employees per resident. The City has been out of compliance, despite the UMLC’s earlier court order in the Spann lawsuit, sustained by the Minnesota Supreme Court, for years!
The writ, issued by Judge Laura M. Thomas of the Fourth Judicial District, orders Mayor Frey to comply with the Charter requirement by January 4, 2027, and file proof of compliance to avoid trial. If noncompliance continues, the Court has scheduled the next appearance for August 11, 2026, and set trial for April 26, 2027.
“This is an important step toward restoring accountability for Minneapolis residents,” said Doug Seaton, President of the Upper Midwest Law Center. “The City Charter is not optional. The Minnesota Supreme Court already recognized this staffing requirement, and Minneapolis officials have a legal duty to comply. Residents deserve the public safety protections guaranteed under the law.”
UMLC filed the petition after Minneapolis continued to operate more than 100 officers below the minimum staffing level required by the Charter. The department is also approximately 300 officers below its pre-COVID staffing levels, underscoring the scale of the city’s public safety staffing crisis. The writ also notes that if noncompliance continues, the Court may consider further action, including a peremptory writ, contempt, and fines for neglect of duty.
Click here to view the Alternative Writ of Mandamus.