WASHINGTON – Nearly three years after a white police officer killed a black man by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes, the city of Minneapolis announced on Friday that it has approved a plan to reform its police force.

The death of 46-year-old George Floyd, whose ordeal was filmed by a passer-by, sparked mass protests across the country – and even in global cities – under the slogan “Black Lives Matter”.

The murder on May 25, 2020, led to sharp criticism of law enforcement methods not only in Minneapolis, a mid-western city, but also in other US metropolitan areas.

An investigation launched after Mr Floyd’s death by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights concluded in 2022 that the tragedy was part of a pattern of “race discrimination” within the police force that spanned more than a decade.

“Today, we confront our past and move forward with a road map for meaningful change in our city,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.

“Our overriding goal will be building a better, more just approach to policing and community safety in Minneapolis,” he added.

The 144-page agreement announced on Friday was negotiated between the city and the Department of Human Rights after an investigation’s findings were released in 2022. It still requires court approval.

The text includes provisions stating that police may no longer engage in pretextual stops of vehicles for certain minor violations, such as a broken tail light, and can no longer search and frisk someone if they smell marijuana.

It calls for police officers to employ force only if “necessary” and in a manner “proportionate to the perceived threat”. It also prohibits using force to punish or retaliate.

Tasers should be used only if the police have a reason to make an arrest and if it is necessary to “protect the officer, the individual or a third party”, the agreement says. AFP