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Man beaten by MPD starts nonprofit to change culture of policing
Jaleel Stallings was beaten by Minneapolis police in 2020 after shooting at them in self-defense during the unrest following George Floyd’s murder.
MINNEAPOLIS — In the days after George Floyd’s murder in 2020, a SWAT team cased Minneapolis in an unmarked van trying to control protestors.
They shot off non-lethal rounds and one of them hit Jaleel Stallings. He’s a veteran, who at the time, had a permit to carry. He fired back, hoping to scare off the shooters. Instead, Minneapolis police officers came out of the van and ambushed Stallings, beating him despite body camera video showing him drop to the ground in defense. Stallings would eventually face several serious charges.
Stallings was acquitted when that video contradicted the officer’s stories. He would win a settlement, move out of state and is now doing something to spark changes in the system.
“It’s been a daily part of my life since that incident happened,” said Stallings from his home in Houston. “I feel like there were so many different opportunities for someone to come forward and say, this is wrong, it shouldn’t be happening, and no one took that opportunity.”
To perhaps right more of the wrong, he’s launching a new nonprofit called the Good Apple Initiative. He hopes to encourage the good apples within government, including police departments and the criminal justice system, to come forward and help make change — change he says is still coming.
“I don’t see anything that has necessarily shifted the needle in my opinion,” said Stallings. “I’m not saying we’re going to fix everything, it’s about doing the work to start that process to start to make things better.”
The new website, that just went live Tuesday night, will have a hotline to anonymously report grievances and informational tool kits, all while Stallings is talking with officers around the state about how to make the most meaningful shift.
“It’s about doing the work that is necessary to loosen, what we would say, a bad apple’s grip on a police department or other things and it’s going to take a community and collaborative effort to get that done,” said Stallings. “A lot of them do feel alone, they feel they’re alone so they’re afraid to buck against the system, afraid of retaliation and things of that nature and we’re just trying to give them a safe space to come forward and be a part of that change.”
Stallings then wants to provide a support network so those officers can be promoted to leadership roles to encourage and teach better behavior.
The Good Apple Initiative also has a board of directors and a donation page if you’d like to contribute.
As for Stalling’s case, that’s coming to a legal end.
The former Minneapolis cop charged for beating Stalling, Justin Stetson, admitted he “went too far” and pleaded guilty, but Stetson can’t ever be an officer in Minnesota again.
He was supposed to be sentenced on Wednesday, but that court hearing got moved to next month.
Stallings says he’ll be there, even though he thinks Stetson’s plea deal is much too lenient. But he’s still looking forward to the future.
“There is a sense of hope and excitement at the prospect of being able to get these things done,” he said. “And apprehension knowing how much work and what I’m actually attempting to tackle.”
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The “Westopolis” name is meant to highlight the cities’ vibrancy and proximity to Minneapolis.
The marketing and tourism organization formerly known as Discover St. Louis Park has rebranded this fall with a bold, new name:
The organization, which launched in 2011 and grew to also incorporate Golden Valley in 2017, began using the “Westopolis” name this month. According to Westopolis President and CEO Becky Bakken, the name is designed to highlight the vibrancy and urban character of St. Louis Park and Golden Valley, which both border Minneapolis and have a combined population of nearly 75,000.
“A lot is behind the name,” Bakken said. “Westopolis just kept speaking to us. In this process, we really leaned into the fact that we are the closest neighbor to downtown Minneapolis. To be honest, we are closer to downtown than parts of Minneapolis are. And it really felt like our primary differentiator.”
Bakken said the change to “Westopolis” is also meant to help the organization communicate better with event planners and out-of-town vendors, who sometimes confuse “St. Louis Park” with St. Louis, MO. Between St. Louis Park and Golden Valley, the cities boast nine hotels with nearly 1,500 combined rooms, and the tourism organization now known as Westopolis plays a key role in drawing visitors and filling those rooms.
“When people are looking for a place to go, that aren’t from this area, they know the big city. They know Minneapolis. We wanted to make sure they knew how close we were to that, and once they’re here they discover all the other things,” Bakken said. “The name is unique, it’s different. It’s not on a map, we understand that. We think the name is edgy, and when we’re working with planners, they’re gonna lean in and say, ‘tell me more about this place.'”
This week, Westopolis is enjoying a nice boost from the Twin Cities Film Fest, a staple of St. Louis Park that draws talent and crew members to the city’s West End from across the country. It’s the kind of annual event that Westopolis would love to see more of in the coming years.
“The West End was sort of the rationale for why Discover St. Louis Park — and now Westopolis — exists. It’s this great area that is a real driver for visitors,” Bakken said. “But both communities have their thing. Golden Valley has a big chunk of Theodore Wirth that we love to claim, and Brookview that has a lot of outdoor activities, so we really like to lean into this urban oasis.”
To unveil the new brand, Westopolis rolled out a website and held a launch party this fall.
“Change is change, and that’s always interesting,” Bakken said, “but mostly people are really excited about the new name and we’re ready to market the new name.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the legality of the new measure while issuing his veto on Wednesday.
MINNEAPOLIS — The City of Minneapolis will move ahead with new carbon fees after a contentious back and forth at City Hall concluded with the council overriding the mayor’s veto.
The new fees, which target carbon emissions from city businesses, will be implemented on July 1, 2025, according to the council.
Minneapolis already has a pollution fee system, known as the Pollution Control Annual Registration or PCAR. The fees go into the city’s Green Cost Share program, helping pay the costs companies incur bringing down their emissions.
The current PCAR system covers emissions of other air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, heavy particulates, and sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, lead, and carbon monoxide. Companies are required to report their emissions levels to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which, in turn, charges fees of $100 per ton.
The City Council voted Oct. 2 to add carbon dioxide to the list. The resolution seeks to impose a $452 per ton fee for carbon dioxide.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the legality of the new measure while issuing his veto on Wednesday.
“I am all on board for PCAR fees—but it’s time the Council stops playing games and follows the processes in place to enact lasting change,” said Mayor Jacob Frey, in a statement to KARE.
Before his veto was overridden, Frey had told KARE that if the measure were to move forward, companies hit with the fees would likely sue the city and win.
Council Member Robin Wonsley, who co-authored the measure, took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to Frey’s veto on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin law enforcement said Katrina Baur, and her partner, Jesse Vang, are facing charges in connection with 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s death, including obstruction.
TWO RIVERS, Wis. — About a month after 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s remains were recovered from a private property in Wisconsin, state authorities announced Thursday that charges have been filed against the boy’s mother and her partner.
Wisconsin law enforcement said Katrina Baur, and her partner, Jesse Vang, are facing charges in connection with 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s death, including obstruction.
Vue went missing in February and it wasn’t until September that his body was recovered and identified.
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