Recovering, collecting, and
sharing histories of
unjust policing and efforts
to transform public
safety in the Twin Cities.
Minneapolis Tribune, April 12, 1971. Photo by Pete Hohn (courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society)
What we are:
A public history project that explores the history of policing in the Twin Cities in order to contribute to community conversations about the future of public safety.
Minneapolis police squad car, ca. 1980. Department of Community Planning and Economic Development Collection, Special Collections, Hennepin County Library
We combine archival research, oral histories, and the insights of scholars to engage and learn from local communities—with special attention to how people of color experienced policing in the Twin Cities.
What we do:
Black Lives Matter supporters gather inside Minneapolis City Hall after the eviction of demonstrators occupying the space outside the Minneapolis Police Department's 4th Precinct, following the police killing of Jamar Clark, December 3, 2015. Photograph by Tony Webster. Creative Commons 2.0
“Overpoliced” refers to ongoing police abuse, surveillance, and harassment in neighborhoods with concentrations of poor people and people of color, while “underprotected” refers to the lack of protection from violence despite (or because of) the police presence in those same spaces. These dynamics have a long history in the Twin Cities.
What we focus on:
Minneapolis Police 6th Precinct Building, ca. 1970. Special Collections, Hennepin County Library