Minnesota was ground zero for the “defund the police” movement sparked by the 2020 BLM riots. It gained the support of prominent politicians like Ilhan Omar and Keith Ellison. Police recruitment numbers in Minneapolis have dropped drastically since then, thanks to the help of both the local and national political environments.

Last June, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that the city must lawfully provide funding for a minimum of 731 police officers. As it stands, Minneapolis Police Department has just under 500 officers on staff. The lack of officers willing to serve likely comes from a variety of issues, chief among them the intense scrutiny coming from the Biden administration.

Now, the city of Minneapolis has laid out its “Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Report and Plan” for the future of policing. True to the calls from BLM, the report focuses on hiring social workers to respond to calls, rather than making conditions better for officers.

For example, this plan calls for civilian “domestic violence advocates” to respond to domestic violence disputes (pg 62). The report also recommends “civilian investigators and/or advocates” for sexual assault crimes (pg 63). You can read all the provisions in the report here.

There is certainly a place for volunteers and non-police officers for the good of public service, but putting them in harm’s way is not a productive use of the city’s resources or time. Government exists to protect the rights of the people, which includes the right to be free from dangerous and armed criminals.

If you live in or near the city of Minneapolis, there is a good chance you should be ready to protect yourself and your family. While you still can, consider getting a concealed carry permit and purchase a firearm. If the government will not protect you, you must protect yourself.