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We thank the Minnesota Star Tribune for its extensive coverage of the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's murder. Many of the voices were inspiring as both survivors of trauma and community leaders expressing hope. Public safety reforms are not as far along as most of us would like, but given the devastation from where we began five years ago, it's clear and well-documented that progress has been made. In fact, the city of Minneapolis began making slow, steady progress toward a new public safety ecosystem shortly after the murder, and progress is continuing with implementation of the court-approved settlement agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR). Dismissal of the federal consent decree will not hamper this progress; the mayor and City Council leaders have pledged to carry out the terms of that agreement — and we should hold them to that pledge.

City leaders have engaged an independent, court-appointed monitor, Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA), to oversee implementation of the settlement agreement. ELEFA's most recent report (ele4a.org/minneapolis) points out the tough challenges the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) faces in transforming its culture but concludes with the reassurance that the city has made progress in laying the foundation through changes in policy, training and accountability standards.

Minneapolis has also made strides in alternatives to armed police response, expanding access to mental health interventions with Canopy Roots (canopyrootsmn.com) and employing violence prevention groups like MAD DADS (minneapolismaddads.org). Public safety is working more as an integrated rather than fragmented system.

Most heartening is the new class of police officers, one of the most diverse groups ever joining the MPD. As one-time anti-police activist Spike Moss said at the January graduation ceremony for new MPD officers, "These Black, white, Latino and Asian recruits here don't represent the past that I was fighting with." There is more work to be done, and it will take five to 10 years before the policing culture of service becomes the norm, but the new crop of cadets is cause for hope.

Specific barriers, such as the continued proliferation of easily accessible guns, will continue to impose challenges for officers as they prioritize respect, de-escalation and compassion. And even after the Community Commission on Police Oversight clears the backlog of complaints, the MDHR rules will still allow eight months for complaints to be investigated, and state law will continue to allow officer disciplinary actions to be overruled in arbitration.

Over the coming months, the League of Women Voters Minneapolis will be educating voters by presenting "Reimagining Public Safety: Progress to Date and Road Ahead" at Minneapolis libraries (see lwvmpls.org/news-events). We strongly encourage residents to do their due diligence, sign up to receive implementation updates (see tinyurl.com/settlement-updates) and provide feedback to ELEFA (the next public meeting will be held in July). Knowing the facts will help voters identify false or misleading claims that emerge during an election year. It's also a great way to honor the legacy of George Floyd and others who have died at the hands of police.

Rebecca Thoman is president of the League of Women Voters Minneapolis. Jane Lansing is chair of the league's Reimagining Public Safety Committee.