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Brooklyn Center rejects proposed traffic stop policies
Those policies, which were pushed in part by the mother of Daunte Wright, were designed to prevent issues that could arise from a minor traffic stop.
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — The Brooklyn Center City Council rejected a proposal Monday night that would have changed traffic stop policies for the city’s police department.
Those changes would have prohibited any combination of an invalid registration, nonfunctioning license plate lamp, nonoperational muffler, exceeding vehicle noise rules or for objects suspended between the driver and the windshield as a reason for a traffic stop.
For Katie Wright, mother of Daunte Wright, it’s a moment she wasn’t expecting to happen.
“Unfortunately, I had absolutely no clue that we were going to have three ‘no’ votes,” Wright said.
Those policies, pushed for by Wright and Amity Dimock, whose son Kobe was shot and killed by Brooklyn Center officers in 2019, are designed to prevent issues that could arise from a minor traffic stop, they say.
“Eliminating police officers from doing traffic stops that can turn deadly for both police officers and community, and the person who’s driving,” Wright said. “For instance, what happened in my son’s case.”
With the denial of the proposal, it’s a frustrating result for the two mothers.
“This piece of work was in honor of Daunte, and they just took that from her,” Dimock said. “All our hard work, but I mean, they took that from her family, with salt in an already open wound.”
KARE 11 reached out to the three city council members who voted against this proposal, and has not received a response. We also reached out to the Brooklyn Center Police Department for comment and have not heard back.
Regardless of the outcome, Wright and Dimock say their emotions are turning toward something else – a commitment to keep fighting for their sons.
“We’re going to continue to show up at Brooklyn Center and demand that they make those changes that they promised our family back in 2021 when they shot and killed my son during a traffic stop,” Wright said.
Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves voted yes for the proposal. In a statement, she said:
“Research has shown that pretextual stops are ineffective, harmful and disproportionately enforced upon people of color. Cities that have made changes to their pretextual stop policies have seen reductions in racial disparities and an increase in stops for moving violations like speeding.
“The resolutions before our council were the result of 2 years of collaborative work with community, staff and national experts. It was a final comprise that incorporated feedback from our police department. I am extremely hurt, angry and disappointed with the results of last night’s vote, but I am not deterred.
I will continue to fight for what is right, educate and work to build more understanding, and advocate for changes that center equity and promote justice in our city.”
City Councilmember Marquita Butler also voted yes, and in a statement said, in part:
“Where do we go from here? I am not sure. There is data that supports this legislation and other cities around the state have already passed it. Nationwide cities are passing similar legislation, but in Brooklyn Center those who voted no, have decided the data isn’t good enough, there isn’t enough community support.
“My question is what data are they looking at? Please site your sources. What community members are against these changes and why? Those who voted no, did not say why they voted no they were silent, they offered no solution as a way forward.
“The message I have for my community and those that are hurting because of this vote no is to keep showing up, keep advocating for yourself. Get involved in the upcoming election.”
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Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
