Visiting The 3rd Precinct

May 30th 2023, I visited the infamous Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct for a production shoot with Twin Cities PBS where I intern. The unoccupied building still charred from flames of 2020 made the unjust death of George Floyd and the civil unrest that followed feel like it was yesterday. The building is surrounded by a tall black fence wrapped with barbed wire; showing just how disconnected this precinct is from its surrounding community. There are posters lying within the fence's reach reading things like “Abolition is care” and “Justice is what love looks like in public”. These fresh posters were an up close reminder to me of the fight we are still fighting against police brutality and injustice.

This home base of Derek Chauvin was set on fire Wednesday, May 27th during protest and rioting. The 3rd precinct was originally built with the purpose of being a place that allowed this Minneapolis community to feel safer. This was a great failure and we saw this through the station's bad relationship with its community and slow response times. In addition, there were a handful of unresolved reports against police officers. There were over sixteen complaints against Chauvin that had been dismissed prior to George Floyd's death.

The Minneapolis Police Department has a history of brutalizing and over policing Black, Brown and Native people. Since before Willie Mae Demmings (1976) to Amir Locke (2022). This department has also shown a pattern of mistreating people with disabilities and people with physical and mental health problems (you can see this in more detail in the 89 page report on MPD by the Department of Justice).

Now, there is conversation about what will become of MPD’s 3rd precinct. Will it return to its building on Lake Street or move to a new location? Overall, the community does not want to see the precinct returning to its former building. Because of this building’s corrupted past the precinct returning here would be a sign of regression to many.

Right next door to the third precinct stands its juxtaposition: the Hook and Ladder. A theater and Lounge that has a contrasting welcoming feel with artwork that say things like, “Black Lives Matter!”, “Rethink not reopen”, “We Rise Up” and “Minneapolis United” along with a colorful painting that says “George Floyd”. Inside, there are posters that voice what many think of the third precinct conversation. One poster plays off of Dr. Seuss reading, “we do not want your precinct here! Nor there! We do not want it anywhere!” This establishment that is placed in an old fire station that would not allow black firefighters to work there is doing a great job not allowing history to repeat itself in its walls and is doing a great job standing with its community. The Hook and Ladder has held Soul of the Southside for Juneteenth this year and last year.

On set at the third precinct, someone brought up the tree within the fence. Noticing that half of it has leaves and the other half is bare, she asked the question of whether we thought it symbolized death or regrowth. I think it is representing the divide our country, state and cities are in. The divide Minneapolis is in. How do we create a place that cares for all of its residents rather than a place that prioritizes power?