>> Cathy: EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, MANDATING POLICE REFORMS FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE DEPARTMENT'S USE OF FORCE.

THE 171-PAGE DOCUMENT PROHIBITS OFFICERS FROM HANDCUFFING MINORS, ADDS PROTECTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, AND OUTLINES A NEW "COACHING" PROCEDURE, AMONG OTHER CHANGES.

REACTIONS TO THE CONSENT DECREE HAVE BEEN MIXED.

WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY WITH YOHURU WILLIAMS, A HISTORIAN WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS AND DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL'S RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> Cathy: SO PRESIDENT TRUMP TAKES OFFICE JANUARY 20TH, AND I'M WONDERING, HE'S SAID HE WANTS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE D.O.J.

COULD THIS FEDERAL DEAL FALL APART WITH THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS UNDER A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION?

>> IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO AND THAT'S WHY THERE WAS THIS BIG PUSH NOW.

REMEMBER, THE FEDS CONDUCTED THAT STUDY BACK IN JUNE OF 2023.

SO WE'VE HAD THAT REPORT FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

THE FEAR WAS THAT IF WE WAITED UNTIL JANUARY 20TH AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CAME IN THE D.O.J.

UNDER TRUMP WERE NOT ALLOW THAT WORK TO PROCEED.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH CHICAGO A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THERE WAS THIS PUSH RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT THAT CONSENT DECREE SIGNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

NOW THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS CAN MOVE FORWARD.

>> Cathy: SIGNED, SALED AND DELIVERED, CAN'T BE RESCINDED.

>> CAN'T BE RESCINDED.

>> Eric: THE ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY ON THE CASE SAID MINNEAPOLIS P.D.

IS OFFER TO A SPRINTING START WITH THE DECREE.

DO YOU BUY THAT?

IS >> I BUY THAT BECAUSE WE'RE THE FIRST COMMUNITY IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATION TO HAVE TWO CONSENT DECREES.

WE HAVE ONE FROM THE STATE, MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND NOW THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE.

THAT REALLY GAVE MINNEAPOLIS A HEADSTART ON MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY YOU HAD SO MANY PEOPLE AT THIS POINT SAYING THEY'RE OFF TO A GOOD START BECAUSE THEY'VE BEGUN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT ARE IN THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE AS WELL.

>> Cathy: ANYTHING SURPRISE YOU IN THAT FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE?

>> NOTHING SURPRISED ME BUT THE RESPONSE OF COMMUNITY WAS INTERESTING.

BECAUSE WHAT WE DIDN'T GET GIVEN THE SHORTENED PERIOD HERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY TALK-BACK.

GENERALLY SPEAKING THIS WOULD GO TO A JUDGE AND THE JUDGE WOULD OPEN THAT UP FOR COMMUNITY COMMENT AND WE DIDN'T GET THAT.

SO THERE WAS SOME FOLKS COMPLAINING ABOUT RIGHTFULLY A LITTLE BIT OF LACK OF TRANSPARENCY NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING DURING THAT CLOSED DOOR SESSION AND NOT REALLY FINDING OUT WHAT WAS IN THE REPORT UNTIL AFTER THE WORK WAS DONE.

>> Eric: THE MONITORING AGENCY IS SOMETHING CALLED EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR ALL.

WHAT'S THEIR ROLE?

>> ALEFA WILL DO THE MONITORING THEMSELVES, THEY REALLY WILL MONITOR THE PROGRESS AND MAKE SURE THE DEPARTMENT IS MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS METRICS.

>> Eric: HOW WILL YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S, YOU NOW, VERY INVOLVED IN THIS, HOW RE YOU GOING TO MONITOR PROGRESS OR HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ASSESS HOW IT'S GOING?

>> WELL, I'M LOOKING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE FEDERAL DECREE AT THE PROVISIONS THAT DEAL WITH CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING, SO FIRST AMENDMENT, FOURTH AMENDMENT, 14TH AMENDMENT, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, AND VARIOUS OTHER FEDERAL ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY PROVISIONS WHICH WOULDN'T BE COVERED BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE STATE HUMAN RIGHTS ACT.

SO I'LL BE LOOKING AT THOSE ELEMENTS AS WELL AS THE DISCRIMINATORY POLICING AT THE MINNESOTA -- THAT THE MINNESOTA HUMAN RIGHTS DECREE, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DECREE LAID OUT.

>> Cathy: WHAT COULD OSSIBLY HINDER PERMANENT CHANGE?

WE GOT THIS ON APER, WE'VE HAD THIS QUICK START.

WHAT COULD DERAIL IS IT IT?

>> I THINK A LOSS OF WILL AND WE'RE SEEING THAT NOW IN NEW ORLEANS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.

SO A SPRINT TO TRY TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE SAY THE WORK IS DONE, A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT COULD BE A PROBLEM.

WE COULD HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THIS LINGERS ON FOR, YOU KNOW, DECADES, WHICH IS THE CASE OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, UNDER CONSENT DECREE FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.

PEOPLE ARE SAYING NOW THEY'RE THINKING FOUR YEARS FOR MINNEAPOLIS, I THINK THAT'S OPTIMISTIC AND HOPEFUL.

BUT I THINK IT CAN BE ACHIEVED IF EVERYONE REMAINS KIND OF DIALED IN IN TERMS OF THE WORK ITSELF.

>> Cathy: DOES BRIAN O'HARA HAVE TO REMAIN CHIEF TO MAKE THIS WORK?

>> IDEALLY, NO.

I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY IS BETTER SERVED BY SOMEONE WITH O'HARA'S EXPERIENCE GIVEN WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, I WOULD HATE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AGAIN AND REALLY HAVE TO CHANGE MIDSTREAM, BRINGING A NEW CHIEF AND DISRUPTING THAT WORK.

>> Eric: WILL CRIME GO DOWN IN MINNEAPOLIS?

>> WELL, THE NUMBERS ARE GOOD RIGHT NOW.

AT LEAST -- >> Eric: MURDERS ARE UP.

>> MURDERS ARE UP BUT IN OTHER METH RICKS IT LOOKS LIKE CRIME IS FRACKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

THE QUESTION FOR US IS LESS ABOUT WHETHER CRIME WILL GO DOWN AND WHETHER WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR POLICE TO DO THE JOB IN A WAY THAT'S REFLECTIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HERE IS THAT THIS IS LESS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF CRIME, IT'S MORE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE EXPECT FROM OUR POLICE AND HOW THEY CONDUCT THEMSELVES AND WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.

AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR KIND OF CLASSICAL CRIMINAL CATEGORIES, HOW THEY ENGAGE THE PUBLIC, HOW THEY DEAL WITH YOUTH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO I THINK THOSE QUESTIONS ARE ALSO TOP OF MIND.

>> Eric: THANK Y