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The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved an agreement on Monday with the federal government to overhaul the city’s police training and use-of-force policies in response to the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.
The agreement incorporates and builds on changes Minneapolis police have made since former officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering Floyd after kneeling on his neck for about nine minutes during a May 2020 arrest, prompting nationwide riots.
Known as a consent decree, the agreement requires that officers “promote the sanctity of human life as the highest priority in their activities” and “carry out their law enforcement duties with professionalism and respect for the dignity of every person.”
Officers must not allow race, gender or ethnicity “to influence any decision to use force, including the amount or type of force used.”

Council President Elliott Payne, center, and the Minneapolis City Council vote to go into closed session immediately after gaveling into session to go over a federal consent decree mandating reforms to the police department in Minneapolis, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP)
The DOJ has reached agreements with Seattle, New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago and Ferguson, Missouri. A consent decree with Louisville, Kentucky, over the police shooting death of Breonna Taylor is awaiting court approval. The Memphis, Tennessee, mayor last month pushed back against efforts for a consent decree, arguing that the city has made many positive changes since the beating death of Tyre Nichols.
During his first administration, President-elect Donald Trump was critical of consent decrees, deeming them anti-police.
The agreement in Minneapolis becoming final before Trump returns to office later this month would make it difficult for him to stop the deal, as changes would need court approval.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.