(Alpha News): Minneapolis police morale is at an “all-time low” amid “dangerously low staffing” levels and officers being placed in “volatile conditions,” according to an email sent by the union to its police officer members last week.
The email from the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis (POFM), obtained by Crime Watch, addressed several issues contributing to officer stress and burnout, including officers having to navigate “shifting political narratives” and “political rhetoric and inflammatory statements” from elected officials.
Crime Watch also exclusively reported last Thursday, the day after the ICE-involved shooting, that any MPD officers who had time off scheduled through Sunday, had the time off canceled. That information has since been confirmed by both Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and Mayor Jacob Frey in comments to media.
An unrelated press conference was held on Monday by Attorney General Keith Ellison announcing his lawsuit against the Trump administration to try to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Minnesota.
During the press conference, Mayor Frey acknowledged that Minneapolis police resources are being “stretched thin” and 911 calls are up in connection to recent ICE activity and the protests it’s spurred. The mayor stated that Minneapolis currently has approximately 600 officers, which compares to nearly 900 in 2019 prior to the pandemic lockdowns and the death of George Floyd.
Mayor Frey said that the city racked up over $2 million in overtime costs in just a couple of days for police and emergency operations connected to ICE activity and indicated that the costs could become an issue.
Meanwhile, however, the city and police department decided months ago that they would adhere to implementing provisions previously outlined in the federal consent decree that was terminated shortly after President Donald Trump took office, at a cost of tens of millions to cover new staff, training, technology, and an independent monitor, with significant ongoing future costs.
Also, in addition to rank-and-file officer numbers still being below court-mandated levels, Chief O’Hara has added layers of upper-level police administration positions, deputy chiefs and bureau chiefs that did not exist prior to his appointment in 2022, raising upper management salary costs in the department.
A source with knowledge of the department who reached out to Crime Watch wishing to remain anonymous said, “The Chief’s decisions regarding personnel matters will make this place implode. The favoritism is obvious and discipline is not evenly doled out.” The source went on to say that positions are not being filled by the most qualified personnel, but rather by people who won’t tell the chief “no.” The source also indicated that the chief is “unapproachable” when it comes to feedback or pushback on his decisions.
The POFM email seemed to echo those same sentiments in stating that officers’ “stress, burnout, and sense of being unsupported are real.”
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
