Minneapolis officials are raising concerns that efforts to end federal oversight of the city’s police department—alongside calls to pardon former officer Derek Chauvin, convicted in the murder of George Floyd—could seriously jeopardize progress on long-awaited police reforms.
City leaders and community advocates argue that the combined impact of these developments risks unraveling years of work to address systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and rebuild public trust.
“We’ve taken meaningful steps toward reform, but these actions send the wrong message,” said one city official. “They suggest accountability is optional.”
The U.S. Department of Justice currently oversees parts of the MPD under a consent decree, which mandates sweeping changes in response to a pattern of unconstitutional policing exposed in the wake of Floyd’s 2020 killing. The decree aims to improve use-of-force protocols, enhance officer training, and bolster transparency and community engagement.
But with growing political pressure to roll back federal involvement and recent calls—including from high-profile figures—for a pardon for Chauvin, city leaders fear a potential backslide.
“There is no reform without accountability,” said a community activist. “Dismantling oversight or absolving those responsible for violence sends a chilling message to the public and officers alike.”
Chauvin is currently serving a more than 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of second-degree murder, among other charges, for kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes during an arrest. His actions sparked global protests and demands for racial justice.
Critics of the pardon push argue that it dishonors Floyd’s memory and disrespects the movement for police accountability that followed.
The Justice Department and city officials say they remain committed to implementing reforms, but acknowledge that public confidence could falter without continued oversight and a clear rejection of efforts to excuse past misconduct.
“It took the entire country witnessing a man’s last breath to get us to this point,” said one Minneapolis resident. “We can’t afford to go backward now.”
Nearly Five Years After George Floyd’s Death, Calls to Pardon His Killer and End Police Oversight Raise Alarm in Minneapolis
Almost five years have passed since the world witnessed the harrowing footage of George Floyd pleading for his life while a White Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee.
The bystander’s video, which captured Floyd’s final moments, ignited nationwide outrage and a wave of protests against police violence and systemic racism. The aftermath saw Chauvin dismissed from the police force, convicted of murder by a state jury, and sentenced to over 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal civil rights charges.
In response, city leaders in Minneapolis began collaborating with both state and federal officials—including the U.S. Department of Justice—to implement reforms aimed at transforming policing practices and preventing such tragedies from repeating.
However, that reform process faced a major setback on Wednesday. The Trump administration announced plans to terminate federal oversight through court-enforced consent decrees in cities like Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Louisville. These agreements had been pivotal in compelling local departments to meet federal standards of accountability and constitutional policing.
Minneapolis leaders told CNN the decision casts doubt on the future of equitable law enforcement in the city—particularly as some conservative figures ramp up calls for former President Donald Trump to grant Chauvin a pardon. These developments, critics argue, threaten to undo years of progress made in the name of racial justice.
Concerns Over Undermining Justice
Despite this, far-right voices continue to advocate for Chauvin’s release. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene recently posted on social media, “I strongly support Derek Chauvin being pardoned and released from prison.” Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro launched a campaign earlier this year encouraging Trump to issue the pardon, with apparent backing from billionaire Elon Musk, a key Trump ally.
Greene also revived a claim—long discredited by medical professionals and dismissed by jurors—that Floyd died from a drug overdose, rather than Chauvin’s use of force.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison firmly rejected those assertions, telling CNN: “Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in front of the whole world.
Ellison added that any attempt to pardon Chauvin would serve no purpose other than “to further insult the memory of George Floyd and to show continued disregard for the rule of law.”
As Minneapolis navigates a fragile period of rebuilding trust and reforming its police force, many local leaders warn that withdrawing federal oversight and entertaining efforts to absolve Chauvin could undermine the fragile progress made since May 2020—and send a troubling message about justice and accountability in America.
George Floyd’s Brother Says Talk of Pardon Feels Like Reopening a Wound
Speaking to CNN in March, he described it as “reinjuring … reopening a wound” that has yet to heal.
“This is year five. We were supposed to be moving forward,” Floyd said. “There were so many promises made — not just to Black and Brown communities, but to everyone. And now, it feels like everything is being rolled back.”
While a pardon from former President Donald Trump would technically only apply to Chauvin’s federal conviction—resulting in a 21-year sentence—it would have limited practical impact.
Still, the conversations around pardoning Chauvin—combined with the Trump administration’s delays and recent announcement to end federal oversight through consent decrees—have triggered concern in Minneapolis.
Community Vows to Uphold Reform Push
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice released a damning report that traced George Floyd’s killing to deeper, systemic issues within the Minneapolis Police Department. The investigation uncovered a pattern of racial discrimination, frequent use of excessive and unconstitutional force, suppression of free speech rights, and a persistent lack of accountability for officers.
With the federal government stepping away from its watchdog role, Minneapolis residents and advocacy groups are pledging to step up and ensure reforms are implemented and sustained.
Even as the federal safety net weakens, community leaders and local officials are determined to carry the momentum forward — insisting that justice for George Floyd must include lasting institutional change.
Minneapolis Police Reform Agreement Faces Uncertain Future Amid Federal Rollback
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing, 2023 marked a turning point for Minneapolis. That year, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the city entered into a legally binding agreement in state court to overhaul policing practices rooted in racial bias and to implement wide-ranging reform within the Minneapolis Police Department. The accord aimed to reshape the department’s internal culture by introducing “clear and effective” policies while strengthening systems of accountability and oversight.
Key provisions of the agreement required officers to prioritize de-escalation tactics, banned the use of force as a form of punishment or retaliation, and placed new restrictions on the deployment of tasers, chemical agents, and physical force. It also obligated the city and police leadership to conduct comprehensive investigations into allegations of officer misconduct.
However, that momentum was quickly disrupted. By late April, Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to review all existing federal consent decrees, with instructions to modify, revoke, or terminate any that were deemed to obstruct law enforcement operations.
Despite the setback, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vowed that the city would press ahead with reform initiatives, affirming that progress would continue regardless of the federal government’s pullback.
Minneapolis Leaders Vow to Continue Reforms Despite Federal Withdrawal
“We’re moving forward regardless. Every reform laid out in the consent decree will be put into practice, because accountability isn’t something we can choose to ignore,” declared Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat who has led the city since 2018. “Our independent monitor has recognized the real strides we’ve taken through the state-level agreement, and the public will see clear, measurable evidence that we’re making progress.”
“While the Department of Justice steps away from their federal consent decree nearly five years after George Floyd’s death, our state agreement remains firmly in place,” she said Wednesday.
Lucero emphasized that the state court settlement requires the city and its police force to undergo deep, structural change to eliminate racially biased policing practices. “The scope of transformation required within the city and the MPD is vast, and our department will continue to provide guidance and oversight through every phase,” she added.
Still, despite the city’s pledges, longtime police reform advocates in Minneapolis told CNN that maintaining the momentum will be more difficult without the structure and enforcement power that federal oversight once provided—even with the best of intentions.
Community Group Vows Legal Action to Preserve Police Reform Oversight
For years, Communities United Against Police Brutality has been working at the grassroots level, going door to door to educate Minneapolis residents on the significance of a consent decree in shaping police reform. The group also collected personal stories from community members about their interactions with law enforcement in an effort to influence meaningful policy changes, said Michelle Gross, the organization’s president.
Now, as federal oversight of Minneapolis policing comes to an end, the group is prepared to take legal action to ensure the consent decree remains intact. “We’re ready to go to court to protect our community’s progress,” Gross told CNN.
“It’s critical we don’t just shrug and say, ‘Well, that was a good try—let’s move on,’” she said. “Cultural transformation happens when expectations are made clear, positive conduct is recognized, and misconduct is addressed with real consequences.”
With the trauma of George Floyd’s death still fresh in the collective memory, Gross warned that any effort to pardon Derek Chauvin or walk back reform initiatives would be deeply harmful. “It would be like reopening a barely healing wound,” she said.
“I find it disturbing that this administration thinks police need to be ‘unleashed,’” she said. “We absolutely need law enforcement—it plays a vital role. But violating people’s rights is not a necessary part of that role. As a nation, we must not accept that.”