Readers Write: Amir Locke and the Minneapolis Police Department

Deep in Saturday's print article about the death of Amir Locke ("Halt on no-knock raids," front page), it's written that "Locke's death is the latest blow for the city's embattled police force, which has struggled to repair its image in the nearly two years since the murder of George Floyd ... ." I suggest that the Minneapolis Police Department's — and our mayor's — efforts would be better spent addressing the behavior and conduct of its officers and its inability to deal with a nearly two-year crime spree instead of its image. If there was meaningful change or serious efforts toward meaningful change, if Minneapolitans weren't terrified to leave their homes, if friends didn't fear coming to Minneapolis, if the Amir Lockes of the world didn't feel the need to be armed just to work in Minneapolis, the department's "image" wouldn't need repair. It's not the department's image that's the problem. It's the department's excessive use of force and lack of accountability and results.

This situation is troubling on so many levels. The city announced in November 2020 it would "restrict" the use of no-knock warrants. Mayor Jacob Frey touted this as a "ban" in his campaign literature. Was the mayor unaware of what policy changes his own police chief and department made? While the mayor did this, the use of no-knock warrants continued, unabated, at a high level despite the policy change at a time when none — yes, none — had been served in St. Paul since 2016. The warrant that resulted in Locke's death was, in fact, requested by the St. Paul Police Department as a standard warrant. But the MPD demanded that it be no-knock. And now another "ban" has been ordered ...

I didn't rank Frey in last November's election, voted "no" on Question 1 regarding increasing the mayor's power and voted "yes" on Question 2 to abolish and replace the MPD. But on Election Day, the people spoke: The mayor was re-elected with broad executive powers at the expense of the City Council, and Question 2 was defeated. Given the closeness of the races and the division and fear in the city, I hoped that the mayor would use his new power to lead the charge for meaningful change.

My hope was, sadly, misplaced. As I wrote in an opinion piece in these pages in July 2020, the MPD is beyond redemption. We've tried reform for decades, and it doesn't work.

The mayor and the interim chief should resign.

Louis Hoffman, Minneapolis

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Want to be an anti-racist? Start with actually getting to know the communities you claim to be advocating for.

Patrick Freese, Minneapolis

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The chair of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus stated that Locke was a "lawful gun owner" and therefore had every right to have a gun at his side. I presume that is true, but it does raise the question of whether he would have been shot if he did not have a gun. We of course will never know, as far too many unarmed Black men have also died at the hands of law enforcement.

We are often told by gun owners that they purchase guns to protect themselves and their families. The tragic, senseless death of this young man is another sad reminder that far more deaths by guns in the home occur, whether accidentally or otherwise, to those who own guns rather than those who do not. Guns do not keep us safe!

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Locke was initially called a "suspect." George Floyd's death was initially called a "medical incident." These are just two pieces of misinformation the MPD put out to the public recently. One can only wonder how many others the department has put out over the years to cover its misdeeds. Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman stated that "we didn't have as much information as we have now" as a reason for calling Locke a suspect. So instead of saying it lacked information, the MPD chose to disparage the victim? While I understand there are bigger issues in this case, I think there needs to be accountability for this. Who chose to call Locke a suspect, and will they get any consequences for such reckless use of words? I know the MPD has a very long road ahead in gaining trust with some of the public. One of the many places to start would be with telling the truth in news releases and news conferences.

Christopher Bradshaw, Columbus

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Mayor Jacob Frey showed his true face last week. Again.

It reminded this despondent and frustrated Minneapolitan of the week of the George Floyd uprising/riots, when Frey sought the spotlight on MSNBC while our city literally burned due to his feckless leadership.

Say what you will about other local politicians; they seem to genuinely concern themselves with Minneapolis. Their vanity also seems to be generally commensurate with their status as municipal politicians. Not so Jacob Frey. MSNBC viewers, Vogue readers — these are the people Frey really cares about, and he really cares about looking pretty for them.

Eric Barstad, Minneapolis

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Locke was needlessly killed by the MPD on Groundhog Day, seeming to prove Minnesotans are trapped in an endless loop of unjust deaths of Black men — a Groundhog Day of grief.

In the movie "Groundhog Day," it took a change of heart to escape the loop. Many of us need a change of heart that expands where we place our community boundaries. There is lifesaving work waiting for us in the greater community if we look for it and recognize it.

The Minnesota United Black Legislative Caucus recently held Zoom meetings where frightened, angry and overburdened Black Minnesotans spoke out. Street demonstrations are one way to show support. But no matter what, we must tell our Minnesota legislators to save Black lives with new laws. The UBLC members have lifesaving proposals ready. In memory of Amir Locke, let's first demand a Minnesota ban on no-knock warrants.

Clara McIver, Plymouth