Commission trims priorities, forms governance work group to chart next steps for strategic plan

The Community Commission on Police Oversight on July 14 voted to form a temporary work group to define governance needs and recommend whether a standing governance committee is required to carry out the commission’s strategic plan.

Commissioner Mara Shanfield and others presented committee-level work on a draft strategic plan that groups proposed actions into three practical priorities: (1) governance excellence (internal operations and onboarding), (2) community engagement, and (3) overseeing and supporting police reforms (policy, practice, review panels). Commissioners debated the number of priorities and the structure for carrying work forward.

Shanfield said the PPRR (policy, practice and review panels) committee’s theory of action rests on three buckets — policy review, discipline panel lessons and examination of policing practices — to produce substantive recommendations for the Minneapolis Police Department. Commissioner Andrew Smith and others described the community engagement committee’s proposal to increase listening sessions, share nonidentifying panel summaries, and equip commissioners to take information into wards.

Commissioner Palmer and others pressed for explicit community engagement language in the top-level mission. The commission agreed to revise the mission language to read, in part, that the commission will provide "strategic recommendations, effective discipline, and engaged community oversight in shaping and sustaining constitutional policing in the City of Minneapolis." That wording was adopted by voice vote during the meeting.

After discussion, Commissioner Shanfield moved a proposal that a temporary governance work group be formed to: (a) document governance needs (onboarding, internal rules, contact and communications processes), (b) clarify where responsibilities lie between commissioners and city staff, and (c) recommend next steps, including whether a standing committee is warranted. The commission approved the motion; the clerk recorded 12 ayes on the motion to create the work group.

Separately, the commission’s policy committee (PPRR) asked the full commission for authority to submit recommendations on a forthcoming Minneapolis Police Department early intervention system (EIS) policy directly to the city’s implementation unit; commissioners approved that request (12 ayes). The meeting record shows the commission also voted to reschedule its October meeting to Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 (10 ayes, 2 nays).

The chair directed commissioners interested in serving on the governance work group to notify the clerk by e-mail. Staff cautioned commissioners about open-meeting-law constraints on group communications and suggested volunteers limit reply‑all email threads; the clerk offered to consolidate interest and help schedule the work group’s sessions.