[ST. PAUL, MN] – After Governor Tim Walz sent a letter calling for action, the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board moved proposals to create uniform standards in how law enforcement responds to protests and prohibiting peace officers from affiliating with extremist organizations.

“Minnesota cannot let this moment pass without taking immediate action to increase accountability and trust in policing,” said Governor Walz. “I asked the POST Board to take bold action on police reform, and they made critical changes. I’m proud of the steps they have taken to raise the bar for police accountability in Minnesota.”

“When we’re talking about police reform, we know that who is at the table matters,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “Our administration has prioritized appointing Board members that bring diverse viewpoints and life experiences, and that is directly reflected in the actions they took yesterday. We will continue to push for meaningful and lasting police reform.”

On Thursday, Governor Walz called on the POST Board to:

• Create a First Amendment standard that would establish a more uniform system for accountability for law enforcement’s response to demonstrations
• Support a proposal banning peace officer involvement in extremist organizations
• And adopt more comprehensive complaint and discipline data collection.

In February, Governor Walz

to the POST Board, which is responsible for setting regulations and controlling the training and licensing of police officers in Minnesota. The diverse slate of appointees includes two new positions created by the Minnesota Police Accountability Act, which the Governor signed in July.