In the wake of the death of George Floyd and the ensuing riots in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, then a Democratic vice presidential candidate, embraced a set of progressive police reforms. These reforms, championed by the Minnesota People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus, focused on promoting alternatives to traditional policing.
During a June 11, 2020, press conference, Walz declared, “Minnesotans are demanding real change.” He highlighted a police reform package, emphasizing its role as a legislative priority. The package included the creation of an Office of Community-Led Public Safety Coordination, which aimed to “promote and monitor alternatives to traditional policing models.” This office would also distribute grants to community-based organizations, allocating $7,450,000 for “healing support” in Black, Indigenous, and communities of color.
Walz’s commitment to these reforms was unwavering, even as the Minneapolis City Council pledged to disband its police force three days later. “We’re supporting that slate of legislative proposals,” he asserted during a June 10, 2020, press conference. Ultimately, Walz signed police reforms into law as part of the Minnesota Police Accountability Act. However, the legislation did not include the proposed Office of Community-Led Public Safety Coordination.
In response to the legislation’s passage, Walz stated, “This bipartisan bill follows decades of advocacy by communities of color. And it is a good first step. These are long overdue changes, but they do not end the conversation we’re having about police accountability.”
While Walz has championed police reform, his opponent, Republican Dalia Al-Aqidi, criticizes his alignment with Rep. Ilhan Omar on liberal policies. Al-Aqidi argues that their shared stance signifies a lack of commitment to more conservative views. Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris/Walz campaign for comment but did not receive a response.
