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Augsburg College History Professor Michael Lansing joins host Steve Francisco to discuss his work with Dr. Yohuru Williams of the University of St. Thomas in researching and producing a new three-part documentary, “Paradox: Echoes of Reform and the Minneapolis Police.”
Michael explains how his research and the public television documentary was inspired by the murder of George Floyd in 2020. He reveals that there have been persistent calls for reform and professionalizing the MPD dating back to the 1870s.
Demands for reform have historic roots in incidents of corruption, labor strife, and allegations of police abuse of Black and Native American residents. Interestingly, Michael notes that some of the strongest advocates of reform efforts have been mayors, such as Hubert Humphrey, Arthur Naftalin, and Don Fraser, to police officers themselves, such as Bill Mavity and former Chief Tony Bouza.
This episode offers interesting insights into the history of policing in Minneapolis and the nation.
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