The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously Thursday in favor of a measure that would have the city collect fees for off-duty police work as early as 2026, though the actual implementation will likely take at least another year.
Off-duty work includes the side gigs officers can take with businesses and bars outside their working hours, but in uniform and oftentimes while using MPD squad cars. The controversial system has previously been called out by the Department of Justice for undermining officer supervision, with hourly rates for officers reaching up to $175 per hour — none of which goes to the city.
The move puts more pressure on city administration who said they are on board with collecting fees but would not be able to next year. That’s due to a lack of infrastructure for collection, including a new IT platform that won’t kick off until 2027, according to the office of community safety…