As Potter trial begins, Brooklyn Center mulls funding for public safety overhaul

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott speaks during a press conference/
Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott speaks during a press conference about the death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright at the Brooklyn Center police headquarters on April 12.
Stephen Maturen | Getty Images, file

Jury selection begins Tuesday in the trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter. She faces manslaughter charges in the April shooting death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop.

In the aftermath of that shooting, Brooklyn Center’s mayor, Mike Elliott, promised to overhaul public safety in the city. Now, as the spotlight shifts to the trial, the City Council is still working through how to fund some of those changes. At a meeting Monday night, the council discussed one proposal that would pull more than a million dollars from the police budget and use it to fund reform measures.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Mayor Elliott for an update.

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