Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis files motion to intervene in consent decree

File photo of a Minneapolis police squad car.  (FOX 9)

Court documents show the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis (POFM) filed a motion to intervene in the federal consent decree that is meant to reform policing practices in the Minneapolis Police Department

The POFM website says it represents officers up to the rank of lieutenant and is one of the largest non-affiliated law enforcement unions in the state.  

READ MORE: Minneapolis City Council approves consent decree with Department of Justice

Motion to intervene

What they're saying:

The attorney who filed the motion to intervene, James P. Michels, said the purpose of the move is to put the union "in a position to be heard." 

The documents states that if the consent decree goes into effect, it would "materially impact the working conditions" of the officers that the union represents, including their employment terms and collective bargaining rights. 

"It could very well impose a condition that would violate the scheduling provisions of the labor agreement," Michels said. "The main goal is to make sure that the federation is in a position where it has the opportunity to be heard, both by the court, and by the existing parties, the federal government and the City of Minneapolis, as to its concerns to make sure there is nothing in either the consent decree or in the implementation of the consent decree that limits our statutory or contractual rights." 

Federal Consent Decree

The backstory:

The federal consent decree would implement more major reforms within the police department, and advocates are hoping to pass it before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. The Trump administration has been vocal about its opposition to similar reforms in the past, saying they are part of a "war on police."

It was approved by the Minneapolis City Council earlier this month. 

However, the consent decree has not yet been signed by a federal judge, and has no legal binding until that happens. 

The agreement comes after a two-year investigation following the murder of George Floyd. The DOJ found a pattern or practice of civil rights violations within the MPD. Some of its findings include the use of excessive force, including unjustified deadly force, unlawful discrimination against Black and Native American people and discrimination against people with behavioral health disabilities. 

The Minneapolis Police Federation issued a statement in response to the DOJ’s report, saying, in part, "the issues identified in this report can be shouldered by police officers alone. It will require the elected officials to provide the support and resources to do the work." 

MPD also entered into a consent decree with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights in March. That agreement requires the city, and MDP in part, for officers to try and de-escalate situations and ban officers from using force to punish or retaliate.

The full consent decree can be viewed below: 

The Source: Federal court documents filed by the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, an interview with the attorney who filed it, James P. Michels, and past FOX 9 reporting. 

Minneapolis Police DepartmentCrime and Public SafetyMinneapolis City Council