MPD adds 30 officers but remains below charter minimum
Thirty recruits graduated from the Minneapolis Police Academy and will join city forces, but the Minneapolis Police Department still falls short of the city-charter minimum of 731 sworn officers.[1]
The class included 28 men and two women, and one recruit will join Park Police while the others go to MPD.[1] Nine graduates said they were born in six different countries, reflecting a more internationally diverse class.[1] New officers are scheduled to start field training later this week.[1]
MPD has added 128 new officers so far in 2026, nearly double the 68 added in 2024 but fewer than the 162 added in 2025.[1] That rise in hiring follows years of shrinking ranks: the department still has about 643 sworn officers, far below the roughly 900 on staff before 2020.[1]
Officials called the 30-person class one of the largest in years and said graduation is a step toward rebuilding capacity, even as the department remains under the charter floor.[1]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- Thirty recruits (28 men, 2 women) graduated from the Minneapolis Police Academy; one will join Park Police and the rest MPD.
- MPD now has 643 sworn officers, still below the city‑charter minimum of 731 and far below pre‑2020 staffing of roughly 900.
- MPD has added 128 new officers so far in 2026, nearly double the 68 added in 2024 but fewer than the 162 added in 2025.
- Nine graduates come from six different countries, reflecting a more internationally diverse class.
- New officers are scheduled to start field training later this week.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time