FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, April 22, 2022
Contact:
Chris Mulcahey
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Minnesota Supreme Court Grants Expedited Review of Police Defunding Decision
Golden Valley, MN – This week, the Minnesota Supreme Court granted the Upper Midwest Law Center’s (UMLC) petition for expedited review of the Minnesota Court of Appeals (COA) decision in March that held that the Minneapolis Mayor must continuously fund a police force of a minimum size, but has no duty under the charter to continuously employ that minimum number, despite the Charter’s police-to-population ratio requirement.
UMLC on behalf of the eight Minneapolis North Side residents still suffering from rampant crime caused by a lack of police protection seek reinstatement of the Hennepin County District Court’s July 1, 2021 decision ordering Minneapolis to immediately take any and all necessary action to ensure that they fund and employ a police force of at least 731 sworn officers, as required by the city charter, no later than June 30, 2022.
“UMLC and our clients are elated by the Supreme Court’s decision to hear this important case,” said Doug Seaton, President and Founder of UMLC. “We believe the Court of Appeals’ misguided decision creates a dangerous precedent by which a Mayor could single-handedly defund the police. All Minneaopils residents deserve peace and order in their neighborhoods.”
The Appellants to file their first brief by May 3, 2022, and the Mayor and City Council must respond by May 17. The Court granted the Police Officers’ Federation of Minneapolis’ request to file a “friend of the court” brief in support of UMLC and the North Side residents. The oral arguments in this case will take place in the Supreme Court on June 9, 2022.
READ MORE COVERAGE:
MPR: Mpls. residents who sued city for more cops will have their day at the MN Supreme Court
STAR TRIBUNE: Minnesota Supreme Court to review ruling on Minneapolis police staffing
KSTP: Minnesota Supreme Court decides to consider lawsuit appeal over Minneapolis police staffing
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Upper Midwest Law Center is a non-profit, public interest law firm with the mission to initiate
pro-freedom litigation to protect against constitutional violations, government overreach, special
interest agendas and public union corruption and abuses. UMLC is a 501(c)(3) organization.
