The city of Minneapolis’ new policy around no-knock warrants is a step in the right direction. Requiring police to announce their presence, knock, and be visibly identifiable as police are important steps, as is a dashboard to allow more transparency and accountability.
The ACLU-MN remains concerned about potential loopholes that could lead to more killings by police. This policy would not have saved Amir Locke’s life.
The new policy still allows police to enter immediately if there are “exigent circumstances,” a category that leaves too much discretion to police. One of the exceptions, preventing the possible imminent destruction of evidence, is part of the rationale police provided to enter the apartment where Amir Locke was sleeping. Allowing exceptions like these equates to a no-knock warrant policy under a fancy new name.
As the city puts this policy into place, ACLU-MN also wants more details about how MPD will establish containment of an area, direct occupants to a secured location, and what specialized equipment and technology will be in place to do so.
No-knock warrants, and knock-and-announce warrants that still allow immediate entry, have injured and killed too many people, especially people of color. The ACLU-MN renews its call on the state of Minnesota to ban no-knock warrants.