Grand Marais mayor appointed to Peace Officer Standards & Training Board

Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz appointed seven new members to the state board which oversees training and standards for law enforcement across Minnesota. The  slate of appointees will fill seven vacancies, including two new positions created by the Minnesota Police Accountability Act, which the Governor signed in July.
 

Among the seven new members is Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux. 
 

Many public officials and private citizens have been asking the State of Minnesota to take a close look at Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) since the death of George Floyd while in  custody of the Minneapolis Police Department in May 2020. Those seeking systemic reforms to policing have looked at the POST Board as a means to that end. 
 

The POST Board includes a mix of public officials and citizens. According to the POST website, there are eight law enforcement officials, as well as one ex-officio member from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. There are four board members listed as public members and three participants who are part of a higher education system. 
 

In the Thursday, Feb. 11, news release, Walz said the seven new members “will bring extensive experience and diverse voices that will help ensure the POST Board is responsive to the needs of our communities.”
 

Walz added, “I’m proud of their commitment to reforming policing in a way that brings greater accountability and makes all Minnesotans feel safe. After the death of George Floyd, we engaged Minnesotans across the state in conversations around criminal justice reform. We’ve heard an overwhelming desire for greater transparency and accountability. This is one important step toward those goals.”
 

The governor's officee says the new appointments are part of a fuller reform of the POST Board. State legislators passed the Minnesota Police Accountability Act this summer, part of which included language to expand the board’s membership, add a community relations council to the board’s work, require use-of-force data collection and analysis by the board and more. The board has also recently undergone an audit, per Thursday's release.
 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence spoke with Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux about his appointment to the board. Here's their conversation.