Minneapolis officers 'hands off' since George Floyd death, as judge weighs ballot measure to replace police

As a judge hears arguments Monday on a ballot measure to replace the Minneapolis police, a new report found that following George Floyd’s death, the city's officers took a “hands-off approach” to crime.

Records show Minneapolis officers also approached fewer individuals considered suspicious. After analyzing more than 2.2 million police dispatches in the city, Reuters found the number of individuals approached by officers who considered them suspicious dropped by 76% in the year since Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. During that time, Minneapolis police stopped 85% fewer cars for traffic violations, meaning that fewer illegal guns were found and seized by law enforcement.  "It’s self-preservation," one officer who retired after Floyd’s death told Reuters, explaining how cops grew less willing to risk their encounters with the public becoming the next flashpoint.