Minneapolis Mayor Frey Takes Responsibility for No-Knock Warrant Policy After Fatal Shooting

Strategic Insights -

In a Minneapolis City Council committee meeting, Mayor Jacob Frey acknowledged that his previous statement about the city banning no-knock warrants 15 months ago was misleading. The meeting comes after Amir Locke, a 22-year-old African American, was killed during a police raid at an apartment. Frey said that the city had no policy on no-knock warrants before November 2020, and his policy reform required officers to announce their presence and purpose before entry. However, he admitted that his language was not precise and did not reflect the necessary nuance. Frey also stated that there are still "extremely dangerous circumstances" when officers can enter without making an announcement.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mayor Frey took responsibility for his previous statement about the city banning no-knock warrants, acknowledging that it was misleading.
  • The city had no policy on no-knock warrants before November 2020, and Frey's policy reform required officers to announce their presence and purpose before entry.
  • Frey admitted that his language was not precise and did not reflect the necessary nuance.
  • The committee heard from an expert on no-knock warrants, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who stated that no-knock warrants are historically dangerous for police officers and residents.
  • At least 94 people were killed in the United States as a result of no-knock warrants between 2010 and 2016.
  • Crump also stated that most of the time, the person affected by a no-knock warrant raid ends up wounded or dead, and that most of the time, that person is Black.
  • Locke's family is demanding change in policies, with his aunt, Neka Gray, calling on officials to change no-knock warrant policies and saying that the warrants mostly affect people of color.
  • Professor Rachel Moran stated that the policy requiring officers to knock and announce their presence was a positive step, but that no-knock warrants are still a significant issue.
  • Locke's cousin, Nneka Constantino, said that the family is struggling with knowing that police are trained to disarm and deescalate, yet body-worn camera video shows officers firing their guns within seconds of entering the apartment.
  • Racial Justice Network founder Nekima Levy-Armstrong demanded that Frey fire the officer who fired the fatal shot and suspend the other SWAT team officers.
  • Lockes' family attorney, Jeff Storms, stated that the city's policy failed to prevent the death of Amir Locke and that there is a need for further reform.

Statistics:

  • At least 94 people were killed in the United States as a result of no-knock warrants between 2010 and 2016 (Source: Professor Rachel Moran).
  • Minneapolis Police Department personnel had obtained 13 no-knock or nighttime warrants so far this year, as opposed to a dozen standard warrants in the same time span (Source: Star Tribune).
  • Officers were serving an average of 139 no-knock warrants annually at the time of the November 2020 announcement (Source: Mayor Jacob Frey).
  • Locke was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center where he died of multiple gunshot wounds, authorities said (Source: Interim Chief Amelia Huffman).
  • The officer who shot Locke, Mark Hanneman, is on administrative leave pending an investigation (Source: Interim Chief Amelia Huffman).

Sources:

  • CNN: Eliott C. McLaughlin and Steve Almasy
  • University of St. Thomas School Law School: Rachel Moran
  • Civil rights attorney Ben Crump
  • Neka Gray (Locke's aunt)
  • Nneka Constantino (Locke's cousin)
  • Nekima Levy-Armstrong (Racial Justice Network founder)
  • Jeff Storms (Locke's family attorney)
  • Mayor Jacob Frey
  • Star Tribune
  • Interim Chief Amelia Huffman
  • Gov. Tim Walz