Minneapolis police reform monitor says Internal Affairs backlog slows progress

Minneapolis police reform got a mixed update on June 15: the independent evaluator said the city and police department have made progress on policy and training, but the Internal Affairs backlog remains the clearest unresolved accountability problem.

The fourth semi-annual progress review covers October 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026. The City of Minneapolis updated its settlement-agreement page on June 16 to point residents to the report, a reminder that the reform process is still active and not complete.

Where the city has moved forward

The monitor said Minneapolis has made meaningful progress on the agreement’s policy and training work, including use-of-force and wellness-related training. That matters because the reforms are supposed to change everyday police practice, not just update paperwork.

But the report also makes a key distinction: progress is not the same as full compliance. Residents should read the review as a mid-process checkpoint, not as a final judgment that reform has succeeded or failed.

Why Internal Affairs remains the main concern

The most persistent accountability problem is the Internal Affairs backlog. The evaluator said backlog reduction remains one of the hardest parts of implementation, and local reporting has shown that the backlog continues to hinder reform oversight and complaint handling.

That matters for residents because complaint review affects how quickly allegations are examined, whether cases are resolved on time, and whether corrective action happens while it can still make a difference. The next question is whether the city can clear more of the backlog and keep the reform schedule moving.

Sources

• City of Minneapolis settlement-agreement page
• ELEFA fourth semi-annual progress report