From left, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, City Council Member Linea Palmisano and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo listen to residents on May 7, 2019, during listening session following the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor.
Several factors contribute to the trend, said Susan Segal, the Minneapolis city attorney. Over the last several years, officers have received more training on how to defuse potentially violent situations. And reported use of force by officers has been on the decline.
From 2003 to April 2019, the city paid settlements, claims or judgments in 274 police misconduct cases. The total for all those payouts was $25,270,182.52. The settlement with the family of Justine Ruszczyk will cost the city $20 million, the largest misconduct payout in state history.