Minneapolis and the federal Justice Department: Partners?

If there were a news conference at which it was announced that the U.S. Department of Justice wanted to work with the local police to provide grant money and support for officers — on, say, training, staffing and best practices — it likely would generate interest but not alarm.

But if it were the Justice Department under the highly politicized Trump administration, with a president itching to "go to these jurisdictions" where he perceives leadership to be weak "and take care of them" …

And if it were a department that has been accused of — well, literally sued by two West Coast cities for overreaching in pursuit of that goal …

And if the city under the department's current gaze was reeling from the death of a Black man under the knee of a police officer, from the legitimate protests and destructive rioting that followed, from a crime wave, and from staffing and morale issues among its police …

And if several members of the City Council wanted to reimagine the very idea of a Police Department …

And if the news conference came as a surprise to some of those council members, who as political leaders like to know what's going to be announced before it's announced …

Well, you can see how things get complicated.

The details of the Justice Department initiative, announced in Minneapolis on Tuesday, are fairly unspecific at this point. The department is creating a nationwide Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Response Center and will work in a partnership with the nonprofit International Association of Chiefs of Police. It has set aside an initial $3 million in grant money and hopes Minneapolis will be the first jurisdiction to partake.

According to Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who spoke at the news conference, the assistance could support training, policy review and the mental health of officers. "At the end of the day, if there are resources I know will help instill crime-preventive tools," he said, correctly recognizing both the internal and external aspects of crime prevention, "I'm obligated to look into that."

Speaking with an editorial writer on Thursday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said that if the chief says he needs resources, "I take that request very seriously." The mayor also said: "We need to make sure that any agreement in any form is well-vetted by our attorneys, runs through our city processes … and is in line with the values that Minneapolis subscribes to. And if it's not, there's a very simple answer: We don't move forward."

The Star Tribune Editorial Board sees the Justice Department initiative as a sincere effort to participate in the nationwide focus on the use of excessive force by police that was sparked by Floyd's death. Might Tuesday's announcement have been politically timed? Though it was made close to an election, many people have already voted. And the initiative's path may well be guided by a new presidential administration.

That City Council members felt out of the loop is concerning and adds to a sense of disarray in Minneapolis. Which brings us to a final point: Minneapolis residents are being buffeted with public safety developments. The human rights investigation. City charter changes. The budget process. The DOJ initiative only adds to the uncertainty.