Title
Affirming the Extension of Declaration of Local Emergency issued April 12, 2021 by Mayor Melvin Carter III.
Body
WHEREAS, on May 25, 2020, George Floyd died while in the custody of officers of the Minneapolis Police Department; and
WHEREAS, following the death of George Floyd, civil unrest erupted in Minneapolis including fires, looting and other criminal behavior; and
WHEREAS, on May 28 - 31, 2020, the civil unrest in Minneapolis spread to Saint Paul and included fires, looting and other criminal behavior causing significant damage; and
WHEREAS, four Minneapolis Police Officers were charged with murder and manslaughter for causing Mr. Floyd’s death; and
WHEREAS, the first of those jury trials, Derek Chauvin is the defendant, is underway in Minneapolis causing heightened tension in the metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, closing arguments in the Chauvin trial are set for Monday, April, 19, 2021; and
WHEREAS, on the afternoon of Sunday, April 11, 2021, a Brooklyn Center police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright, a 20- year- old black man, during a traffic stop, inflaming already raw tensions between police and community members in the midst of the Derek Chauvin trial; and
WHEREAS, since April 11, 2021 there has been civil unrest in Brooklyn Center that has spread into Minneapolis and Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, several jurisdictions have provided police support to Brooklyn Center including the Minnesota National Guard; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statute Section 12.29 and Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 13.06 (a) authorize the Mayor to declare a local emergency “when necessary to prevent or respond to emergencies;” and
WHEREAS, the aforementioned civil unrest constitutes a local emergency as defined by Minnesota Statute Section 12.03, subd. 3 and Saint Paul Legislative Code 13.02; and
WHEREAS, on April 12, 2021, Mayor Melvin Carter III again declared a local state of emergency pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 12.29; and
WHEREAS, Minn. Stat. § 12.29 and St. Paul Administrative Code § 13.06 provide that a local state of emergency can not be continued for a period in excess of three days except by, or with, the consent of City Council; and
WHEREAS, Council finds it necessary to continue the state of emergency; and
WHEREAS, in the judgement of the Council immediate consideration of the emergency declaration is required; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that Council hereby continues the local state of emergency for a period of 30 days.