Following the police-involved murder of George Floyd in 2020, understaffed police departments in Minneapolis are having trouble filling openings.
The contentious death led to a decline in public confidence in the police, and ensuing anti-police demonstrations sparked a widespread flight of policemen. In spite of two years, Minneapolis has yet to replace hundreds of vacancies and this trust has yet to be restored.
The maximum number of recruits that can attend a class is 40, although the most recent class’s September graduation was only six.
Only 57 people applied for jobs this year, according to police spokesperson Garrett Parten, who acknowledged the city’s recruitment difficulties. From 292 applicants in 2019, this number is lower now.
