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Intro
to my work, or why you should read this paper:
I
grew up in Minneapolis but am currently living in St. Paul, graduating from the
University of St. Thomas with majors in Spanish and Justice and Peace Studies in
2004. In my final semester I
studied the Minneapolis Police-Community conflict rather extensively for a
conflict resolution class. Many
theories learned and discussed in class are applicable to this conflict and can
be carried out in a very practical manner. Being an outsider I feel gives me
some perspective that may be lost at closer levels.
In this summary I recap some of the issues at stake in the conflict and
offer suggestions for specific improvements on existing strategies or creation
of new ones. This summary is only a
glimpse at the 40 page paper two of my classmates and I created.
A
brief history: The
Minneapolis Police Department has continually faced allegations of misconduct,
most seriously (and alarmingly frequently) these incidents record brutality,
false arrests, and even wrongful death suits have been filed!
Although a few channels exist for complaints, many community members have
felt their grievances have gone unnoticed, unheard, or are not given the
legitimacy or follow-up that they deserve.
The grassroots organization Communities United Against Police Brutality
has organized around this issue of police brutality and lack of consequences for
offending officers and is currently working on a federal class action lawsuit
against the city of Minneapolis, intending to have an injunction filed to force
the city to reform the MPD. Another
effort to resolve the problem involved Federal Mediation, in which an agreement
was reached, but with few solid ways to secure funding or ensure compliance,
this effort is less than helpful. The agreement also failed to include some main issues
citizens were concerned with and was criticized for its failure to include all
interested parties. Oversight and accountability seem to be at the root of
police misconduct, and these structural problems, alongside police culture, need
to be included in any successful resolution.
Applicable
Theories: Through
studying the conflict in detail, I have become aware of a number of theoretical
approaches that could be useful in solving the conflict.
I'll list them with a brief explanation, and then show how either current
efforts or proposed resolutions would address these theoretical issues.
Conflict
transformation
- context, structures, institutions, actors, issues, and personal and group
opinions need to be changed if we are able to work cooperatively and
constructively on resolving the conflict.
A changed mindset here would be useful, as the "us vs. them"
mentality has not worked thus far - community activists need to view the police
as a partner in changing police behavior and creating a safer community.
Police also need to view community activists as concerned citizens and
give more respect to the community they're supposed to serve.
Part of this transformation is included in:
Symmetry
of Power - creating
an equal power base for both parties of the conflict, necessary for an equal
partnership in solving the conflict. This
is approached in a limited manner with the federal mediation by bringing all
parties to the table, but could be furthered: the civil suit has the potential
for communities to regain power and force the city of Mpls. to monitor and
reprimand misconduct in MPD. Communities
could also try to utilize their media (especially community newspapers,
radio, or television shows) to raise consciousness and pressure the city
officials or the MPD. A more
cooperative way to create equal power bases would use community policing tactics
- actively including citizens in policing. This has the potential to help with the issue of the MPD
being understaffed (and as a result probably overextended) as citizens might
receive training and begin to view themselves as active partners in a mutually
beneficial relationship.
Principled
Negotiation
- separate people from the problem, focus on underlying interests rather than
positions taken in the argument, identify areas for mutual gain.
In this aspect both parties identify their underlying interests -
creating safer neighborhoods, ensuring lower rates of police misconduct,
encouraging respect all around, etc. Rather
than face the other side as the problem, parties focus on common interests and
view themselves as equal participants in solving the problem.
The federal mediation is a start is this process, but it is only the
beginning, a concept entailed in
The
Process-Structure gap - This gap points out the tendency to see peace agreements and
settlements as ends, rather than a means.
Any agreement or settlement that comes up in the resolution of this
conflict should be seen as a step in a long process - the federal mediation did
not ultimately settle anything, nor will the civil suit - these efforts are only
part of any comprehensive settlement. Work
needs to be done at many levels involving many people, and probably for many
months, before we will resolve the conflict.
Vertical
and Horizontal Capacity - looks at the power structures that exist and identifies the
importance for building relationships in both a vertical capacity (across
divisions that exist between groups with different levels of power - CUAPB
working with the Chief of Police), and in a horizontal capacity (across
divisions within groups and with similar levels of or access to power - CUAPB
working directly with officers). This
has been addressed to some extent in the federal mediation, but further work is
required. Working across
traditional boundaries allows each party to understand the conflict from a
multiplicity of viewpoints, and offering mutual support could foster
relationships.
Multi-track
diplomacy - working
on the conflict at many different levels.
City and Police administration need to work on this issue at the same
time as grassroots organizations or non-profit agencies.
Each group has their own strengths (budget setting,
flexibility, or creativity) and weaknesses (reelection, lack of financial
assets or people-power), and for resolution to occur, we need to capitalize on
them all
We
mention a number of particular strategies in our paper that address some of
these theoretical issues and offer a practical way to institute them.
My personal favorite:
Administrative
Reform - renewing
the MPD from the inside out. I
read cases where departments were successfully reformed due to a leader with
insight, integrity, and drive. Successful
reformers created or upheld existing policies that had serious consequences for
misconduct and also took community complaints as a source of constructive
criticism. This transformation also
changed the culture of the department, reinvigorating it with the "to serve
and protect" motto, so results lasted beyond the reformer's tenure.
If you want to give me feedback: Maggie Sweeney, 612-922-9567 or Email: socialists_us AT yahoo.com.