FLASHBACK: Governor Walz Endorsed Radical ‘Alternatives to Policing’ During ‘Defund The Police’ Movement of 2020
At the peak of the chaos following George Floyd’s death and during the height of the disastrous “Defund the Police” movement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz threw his weight behind a set of progressive police reforms, which included dangerous “alternatives to policing.”
On June 11, 2020, as Minneapolis was still reeling from violent riots, Walz stood in front of the cameras to promote a police reform package from the Minnesota People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus. He didn’t mince words, making it clear that this was one of his top “legislative priorities.”
With a grandstanding speech, Walz declared, “Minnesotans are demanding real change.” But instead of real change, what Walz was endorsing was a radical departure from the principles that keep communities safe. He proudly aligned himself with lawmakers pushing a sweeping set of reforms that, at their core, sought to undermine traditional law enforcement in favor of unproven and ideologically driven alternatives.
In that same press conference, Walz lauded the efforts of the POCI Caucus, stating, “We stand united… ready to get to work.” The package, he claimed, would bring “meaningful changes” to law enforcement in Minnesota. But what he was really backing was an agenda that sought to weaken the very institutions designed to protect Minnesotans.
The so-called “powerful set of reforms” included a proposal to create an Office of Community-Led Public Safety Coordination. This Orwellian-named office would have been tasked with promoting alternatives to policing—like “healing circles”—and dispersing millions in grants to organizations focused on “healing justice” rather than actual justice.
According to the proposal, a staggering $7.45 million was set aside for grants to promote these alternatives within Black, Indigenous, and communities of color. The funding would support everything from restorative justice circles to community coach certification programs—essentially anything but traditional policing.
Three days after the Minneapolis City Council made the reckless decision to pledge to dismantle its police force, Walz was right there, echoing their sentiments. “We’re supporting that slate of legislative proposals,” he confidently announced.
Though Walz eventually signed the Minnesota Police Accountability Act into law, the legislation—thankfully—did not include the Office of Community-Led Public Safety Coordination. But make no mistake: Walz made it clear that this was just the beginning. “These are long overdue changes,” he said, “but they do not end the conversation we’re having about police accountability.”
What Walz and his allies fail to grasp is that the conversation they’re pushing isn’t about accountability—it’s about stripping away the tools that keep our communities safe. And that’s a conversation every Minnesotan should be deeply concerned about.
