Challengestoracializedpolicing,fromearlyreformeffortstoBLMprotestsandtheaftermathofGeorgeFloyd’smurderTheeruptionofBlackLivesMatterprotestsagainstpoliceviolencein2014spurredawaveofpolicereform.OneoftheplacestoembracethisreformwasMinneapolis,Minnesota,acitylongknownforitsliberalpolitics.YetinMay2020,fourofitsofficersmurderedGeorgeFloyd.Fieryprotestsfollowed,makingthecityanationalemblemforthefailuresofpolicereform.Inresponse,membersoftheMinneapolisCityCouncilpledgedto“end“theMinneapolisPoliceDepartment.InTheMinneapolisReckoning,MichellePhelpsdescribeshowMinneapolisarrivedatthebrinkofpoliceabolition.Phelpsexplainsthatthecouncil’spledgedidnotcomeoutofasinglemomentofrage,butdecadesoforganizingefforts.Yetthepoliticsoftransformingpolicingweremorecomplexthantheyfirstappeared.Despitepublicoutrageoverpolicebrutality,thecouncil’sinitiativesfacedstiffopposition,includingbyBlackcommunityleaderswhocalledformorepoliceprotectionagainstcrimeaswellaspolicereform.In2021,votersultimatelyrejectedtheballotmeasuretoendthedepartment.Yetchangecontinuedontheground,asstateandfederalinvestigationspushedpolicereformandcityleadersandresidentsbegantodevelopalternativemodelsofsafety.TheMinneapolisReckoningshowshowthedualizedmeaningofthepolice--asboththepromiseofstateprotectionandthethreatofstateviolence--createsthecomplexpoliticsofpolicingthatthwartchange.Phelps’saccountofthecity’sstrugglesoverwhatconstitutesrealaccountability,justice,andsafetyoffersavividpictureofthepossibilitiesandlimitsofchallengingpolicepowertoday.
