Pro-police marketing bill reaches Minnesota Senate Floor

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A proposed $1 million marketing campaign for police will come to the Senate floor. The goal will be to encourage more Minnesotans to join law enforcement, but not everyone is on board.

“This is the height of insensitivity here,” Senator John Marty (DFL-Roseville) said.

Senator John Marty from Roseville strongly opposes this bill.

In the wake of Amir Locke’s death from a no-knock warrant, he views the bill is poorly timed and out of touch.

“As one who thinks there is a very important role for police, I think it’s very disrespectful to try and do that with public money,” he said.

Arguing that this funding can instead go towards promoting more diversity in law enforcement.

“It’s a huge challenge throughout the state, and that is getting officers who reflect the diversity of the community,” he said.

Like everything else, law enforcement is having issues with staffing which is why this campaign is drawing support from Senate Republicans

“Police recruitment is way down, retirement is way up,” Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) said.

State Senator Carla Nelson worries that declining numbers in police departments could lead to more issues.

“We are at great risk if we do not have safety in our neighborhoods. We can no longer continue with these really unsafe neighborhoods,” Nelson said.

How would this program look if implemented? For now, it’s not that clear.

“The legislation does not specify that,” she said.

The million dollars put into the program would be funded by taxpayers.

“We have a $7.7 billion surplus, and I’m not sure which pot of money this is coming from,” Nelson said.

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