So, I called his uncle, and by the fall of 1985, this Minneapolis kid was in the Upper Peninsula. Is that unusual for a big-city police chief? what happened to benton harbor, mi. Brandon Stahl [5][6], During Super Bowl LII, Arradondo authorized banning Philadelphia-style tailgating. Arradondo testified at Chauvins trial that the kneeling was a violation of the policies around de-escalation, objectively reasonable use of force and requirement to render aid. He said at one point the mayor joined the meeting and the conversation briefly turned to the best course of action after people in the community saw the video. Who is Medaria Arradondo? The guy who buddies call Rondo worked his way up through the MPD ranks with stints on the beat in the Fourth Precinct, as the commander of Internal Affairs, and as assistant chief during the police shooting of Jamar Clark. }); eventAction: 'view' When one of our officers violates the public trust, I am responsible for that. No criminal charges were brought. Lesley Stahl: Did you ever consider stepping down? It is so broke. cta_1_check_382199 = true; A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Q: There was a group of community activists and members who pushed for you to become chief and even marched down to City Hall after Jane Harteau (Arradondo's predecessor) resigned following . It does. Following the death of Floyd, he fired all four officers involved. fox hill country club membership cost. Others, however, say the police chief is not doing enough. jQuery("#inline_cta_382199").html(inline_cta_text_382199); Hes oddly magnetic, partly because of a youthfulness that flies at odds with his lifes work. }, I took advantage of it. . Libor Jany But Im trying to get it right. if( inline_cta_2_url_382199 !='' ){ He's very clear. So I'm very sorry. While Arradondo said choke holds are authorized in some situations, he told the jury the use of force he saw in a video filmed by a bystander was not objectively reasonable. Less than a day after George Floyds death, Mr. Arradondo fired Mr. Chauvin and three other officers who were present at the scene and called for an F.B.I. Heres Why. }); var inline_cta_button_text_382199 = ''; jQuery("#magazine_text_382199").html(magazine_text_382199); ". I looked them in the eye and I said, Im sorry and said their brothers death is not in vain, he said. Police have no place in the abolitionist zone that emerged out of Floyds death, organizers say. what would listening do? Minneapolis Police's first Black chief to testify against Derek Chauvin in rare move. Stores were going up in flames. ", "Mr. Floyd died in our hands," he said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. If youre not getting any fouls, youre not playing hard enough., Compared to Kroll, Arradondo is a woke king. Chief Medaria Arradondo: As devastating as it is, I did not want us to have a series of funerals because of people being fatally wounded or hurt. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, whose tenure will be remembered for his handling of the George Floyd murder investigation, announced Monday that he will retire in mid-January. So I sit in on the interview for every single candidate, whether theyre for community service officer, recruit, or cadet. Im open to exploring not the governors position Im open to exploring what my next chapter will be. It goes like that through most of the interview. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. And service to my family members and neighbors was always something my parents instilled in us. He will not mince any words. } tn_loc:'atf' What we know about Medaria Arradondo, the Minneapolis police chief. inline_cta_button_text_382199 = ''; investigation into the incident. The only times they really came close was if there was something bad that occurred in the neighborhood. But I have to be determined to lead the charge in planting those seeds of culture change and make sure theyre cultivated. Truly. Current Issue cta_2_check_382199 = true; The grace and the love that they showed, they hugged me and we hugged.. Less than two weeks ago, Arradondo convened a press conference after an MPD officer punched a Black teenager in the face. 2. And even though its so-damn-cold-its-sunny-again and Frankies slings slices in a strip mall, the place is packed. "An activist who was in the room told us that there was going to be a 'war.' }. ga('ads.send', { Once Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting, and certainly once he was in distress and trying to verbalize that, that should have stopped, Arradondo testified. Good thing were not in Minneapolis, I think. Video of Floyd's death ignited protests around the US and world as protesters called for reform in policing and law. The problem we have is systemic, so changing the people at the top, no doubt it can make some difference, but not the difference were looking for,Mel Reeves, a Black community leader, told the Star Tribune in 2017. Chauvin is facing three charges -- second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter -- in connection to the May 2020 death of Floyd, after he knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Or, they will be left behind. Elie Mystal. And Anthony Junior High Schoolwhich is Anthony Middle School now. ", "If I could do anything to bring Mr. Floyd back, I would do that," he said. Arradondo, dressed in a pale blue police uniform, is the second witness of the day in Courtroom 1856. From their makeshift stage in Powderhorn Park last summer, Minneapolis City Council members pledged to begin the process of ending the Minneapolis Police Department. Council member Andrew Johnson later told The New York Times he meant the words in spirit, not by the letter. In December, the City Council voted to shift just $8 million of the MPDs $179 million budget. tn_pos: 'rectangle_1', }); let gads_event; I-- I grew up a block away from where he died. His swift action was reason they are being held accountable, Williamstold NBC News. Yes. Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, Anyone can read, no subscription required, See Arradondo was chief when Floyd died while in police custody on May 25, 2020. if( inline_cta_2_bg_color_382199 !='' ){ [2][3] The lawsuit was settled by the city for $740,000, and in December 2012 Arradondo was promoted to head of the Internal Affairs Unit responsible for investigation of allegations of officer misconduct. ga('ads.send', { It all broke down. With Minneapolis on edge and under scrutiny, the pressure is on the city's police chief, Medaria Arradondo, a 30-year veteran and the first black man to head the mostly white police department. Arrandondo was promoted to head of the Internal Affairs Unit. pg.acq.push(function() { A firefighter, a 911 dispatcher, a cashier working across from the street where the incident took place, a mixed martial arts fighter and a teen who recorded the video last year that went viral, and her 9-year-old cousin, are among those who have testified in court. April 07, 2021 - 5:03 AM. Theres not one seven-foot bronze statue honoring any of those chiefs, and there wont be one for me. Here are five things to know about the man who is now in the national spotlight: According to the Star Tribune,Arradondo talked about the weight of his responsibility when he took over the job in 2017, becoming Minneapolis' first Black police chief. The land around it is littered with empty cans and dry grass. So its slightly surprising when the chiefs people suggest we meet for lunch at Frankies Chicago Stylein New Hope. Discovery Company. Over the course of the Derek Chauvin trial, which started on Monday, several emotional testimonies have been heard. }); In a TikTok-posted film taken during the celebration, Howard points over her head. Ron Edwards, a civil rights activist, saidArradondo took over in an urgent time when policing has become a concern. But hes not been engaging with the people.. In 2007, he filed a lawsuit against the department alleging racism, citing, for instance, a White Power patch worn by Lt. Bob Krolla white Trump ally and former president of the Minneapolis Police Federation. People visit a memorial at the site where George Floyd was killed on June 3, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. what happened to medaria arradondo head injury. Blocks away, a boarded-up indie bookstore reads: Alyssa OurslerTwitterAlyssa Oursler is a journalist. People have a bigger vision for what this city is going to be. what was going. "Now at the time, the word 'murder,' 'killing,' that wasn't really tossed around, but also it was a matter of concern because we knew the city would not receive this well," Howell said. } He's previously written forThrillist.com, Metro, and Minnesota Business. So my buddy asks what Im going to do. "To the Floyd family, being silent or not intervening, to me, you're complicit," the chief said as Floyd's brother listened from home, unable to control his tears. The property damage in Minneapolis is estimated at more than $100 million. The impacts of Mr. [George] Floyds killing certainly will stay with me forever, but that did not render to my decision at this point, Arradondo said. He said the chief listened patiently and tried to answer their questions. "I'm very humbled and blessed." Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Chief Arradondo says he is stymied by the contract he negotiates with the city police union and has broken off talks. After much personal reflection and thoughtful discussions with my family and Mayor Frey, I have made the decision that I will not be accepting a new term as chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, Arradondo said. At the end of the day, are folks not going to be harassed by the police? A thing I grapple with as chief is trying to humanize this profession. Growing up in Minneapolis, Medaria Arradondo didnt see a lot of black cops. But each one of these kinds of events brings its own set of circumstances. When Mayor Betsy Hodges clashed with Harteau in April over the appointment of a new Fourth Precinct captain, Hodges used Arradondo as an example of a uniting person, not a polarizing figure in the community.. Arradondo said Monday that he will be recommending potential successors from within the department to the mayor, though he declined to name specific candidates. Sometime around noon on the day after George Floyd died while pleading for breath under a police officer's knee, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo summoned his top staff to a meeting in his office. }); Outside, sunlight glints off the fencing and barbed wire that encircle the courthouse. CNN's Sara Sidner speaks with Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo at the scene where George Floyd was killed while in police custody. Arrandondo, who grew up in Minneapolis, said hes been blessed beyond measure to have served the people of this truly wonderful city.. It totally misses what this city has to offer. Around midday, Arradondo huddled in his office with members of his senior command staff: then-Assistant Chief Mike Kjos, and Deputy Chiefs Kathy Waite, Henry Halvorson and Erick Fors; Art Knight, Arradondo's former chief of staff, was out of town, and joined the meeting by phone. hitType: 'event', People were running in and out of stores unhampered. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo leaves the Hennepin County Government Center on April 5, 2021 after testifying at the murder trial of Derek Chauvin. And so I cannot in good faith work with a contract that-- that-- diminishes my authority as chief but also erodes that public trust that our communities need so much right now. And-- and-- that is-- that-- that occurs. ", "We not only knew that we were, we had to do the right thing based on the information we had," Arradondo said, according to the documents. And the conversations when I'm having that with my son and other fathers have had that with their sons, um, it's about survival. MINNEAPOLIS -- Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo announced Monday that he won't accept a third term as chief, a blow to a department that has been reeling since four officers were charged in George Floyd's death. Medaria Arradondo, the Minneapolis chief of police, talks about what cops get wrong, what Trump thinks about the city, and why he sits in on the interview for every single new hire. It was then that Arradondo made the decision to contact the FBI to investigate the case, he told the agents. Im the 53rd chief of the Minneapolis Police Department. You just accept that and go in there every day and work your hardest. What do communities get wrong about their police? } The arts and entertainment blog. What happened? A Warner Bros. Lesley Stahl: So that was a policy that night. They didn't protect property. Lesley Stahl: Officer Chauvin's demeanor, he was so relaxed. That erodes that confidence. "That, of all the great things and all of the good things that this department has done, this one singular horrific incident was going to [be significant] and by the way, this is days before the riots.". What were your impressions of cops growing up? inline_cta_2_url_382199 = 'https://subscriptions.thenation.com/Nation_index?pk=G2A1C6M'; tn_keyword: ['black-live', 'george-flo', 'police-bru', 'racial-vio'], Sign up for our newsletter to get the freshest stories in your inbox, every day! In Seattle, police used tear gas multiple timesduring a respiratory pandemicbefore Chief Carmen Best temporarily banned it. inline_cta_2_url_382199 = 'https://subscriptions.thenation.com/loading.do?omedasite=Nation_Gift'; He has pleaded not guilty. The Minneapolis' black community makes up 19% of the city's population, but only 11% of the nearly 900-member police force. Chief Medaria Arradondo: I, as chief am-- am stepping away from that. Throughout his time within the MPD, hes been unabashed about his commitment to truth, to transparency, and to justice, the mayor said. Q&A: Minneapolis Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo. Um, when these incidents occur, if they're not captured on video, are their voices gonna be taken as-- as-- as truthful? And this happened years ago. George Floyd hoped moving to Minnesota would save him. "This was a violation of the oath that the majority of the men and women that put this uniform on, this goes absolutely against it," he said. hitType: 'event', Arradondo described the footage to those who hadn't seen it, Howell said, and "shared his concerns about the video, about what actually happened. inline_cta_bg_color_382199 = '#ffcf0d'; Taking the witness stand Monday in the murder trial of Chauvin, Arradondo testified that one of his deputy chiefs called him at home last May 25 to tell him about the encounter with Floyd who hadn't yet been pronounced dead prompting Arradondo to contact Mayor Jacob Frey before heading to City Hall, where he watched footage from a city-owned camera. Ive got one shot to get it right, so I need to be involved in this. what was happening. Here's why it matters today", "Mpls cop who once sued department now heads Internal Affairs Unit", "Officer charged with murder in shooting death of unarmed woman in Minneapolis alley", "The Latest: Mayor Nominates Arradondo as Minneapolis Chief", "Super Bowl security to outlaw Philadelphia-style tailgating in Minneapolis", "Minneapolis ends pot stings criticized as targeting blacks", "Citing racial disparities, Minneapolis police will stop low-level marijuana stings", "Report: Minneapolis Cops Urged EMS to Sedate Subjects", "Minneapolis mayor denies claim that he allowed unrest to overrun neighborhood, defends police chief", "George Floyd death tests Minneapolis police chief", "Minneapolis police chief on George Floyd's death: Not intervening to me you're complicit", "Minneapolis police chief announces new reforms, withdrawal from union contract negotiations", "Chief Arradondo Announces Immediate Withdrawal From Contract Negotiations With Police Union", "Chief: Minneapolis police resignations not a threat to public safety", "Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo on George Floyd's killing, policies during protests and reform for his department", "Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, whose tenure included George Floyd's murder, will retire in January", "Q&A: Minneapolis Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo", "Day 6 Of Witness Testimony In Ex-Cop's Murder Trial; Defense Cross-Examine ER Doctor Who Tried To Save George Floyd", "Minneapolis taps first black police chief in wake of Damond shooting", "George Floyd death: Four Minneapolis officers fired after video", " 'Rondo' rose through police ranks to helm a department under pressure", Timeline of race relations and policing in MinneapolisSaint Paul, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medaria_Arradondo&oldid=1135614710, Chiefs of the Minneapolis Police Department, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from February 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 19:55. Hes trying to say all of these words, but what hes really saying is youre an African American who is embarking upon a profession and whos about to wear a uniform that this community has never seen before, Arradondo said. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Among the many considerations facing Arradondo was weighing the potential fallout from firing the officers so quickly after the incident, Belton said. for (var i = 0; i < arrayLength; i++) { tn_author: ['alyssa-o', 'anna-d'], ; Ellison, mayors urge recalls, Man pleads guilty, is sentenced for killing accomplished Minneapolis performing arts teacher, Two charged in brutal attack of transgender woman at Lake Street light-rail station, 3 Minneapolis City Council members file police reports accusing activists of intimidation. Video of Floyds death ignited protests around the US and world as protesters called for reform in policing and law enforcement treatment of Black people. inline_cta_text_382199 = '
Readers like you make our independent journalism possible.
'; tn_articleid: [382199], When addressing the Philonise Floyd via CNN reporter Sara Sidner, he was seen taking his hat off, which is generally a sign of respect for the addressee. ", An FBI official in attendance raised the possibility of a civil rights investigation, Howell recalled, to which someone in the room questioned whether Floyd's death was "a matter of civil rights or human rights.". Honestly, part of the reason is, everywhere we go out in public with him in the city of Minneapolis, its tough to get work done, says police spokesman John Elder. Late last summer, protesters wearing shirts that said Bob KKKroll Must Go! caravanned a half hour to his suburban neighborhood and took to the streets. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('impressionViewable', function(event) { Black Lives Matter activists organized locally and nationally around Jamar Clarks death in 2015 and Castiles death in 2016. Race has become once again a paramount issue, Edwards said when the police chief took over. Maybe it was a blessing that Arradondo was in a position to be upgraded to that position without a lot of furor.. And its important to get that messaging out to folks around the department that there is far more good in this city than bad. Photo by Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP. And a couple of gentlemen yelled something in reference to that. She filmed a squad car idling near a barricade at George Floyd Square while she debated with with an officer inside. Chief Arradondo testified in the trial of Mohamed Noor, the officer who was convicted of murder after he fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk in 2017, MPR News reported. "[Arradondo] will be a chief and leader who will not only ingrain changes made in the department in recent years, he will move forward with his own inspiring vision for transformation," the former mayor said. "We were working on the changes that had been necessary way before George Floyd died," he said. 1989 A fifth-generation Minnesota resident, Arradondo joined the MPD in 1989 as a patrol officer in the Fourth Precinct and worked his way up through the police ranks until he was named the inspector for the First Precinct. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ga('ads.send', { Minneapolis Deputy Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo talks to demonstrators outside the police department's 4th Precinct Nov. 20, 2015, during protests against the police shooting death of Jamar . In my experience, that-- that shouldn't be shocking. He said that by then it had dawned on him that Floyd's death was "going to be a significant incident for the city," according to the documents. While Chief Jane Harteau remains out of public view on what a spokesperson called a personal, pre-scheduled trip, Arradondo nicknamed Rondo has been the face of the MPD during the aftermath of the Justine Damond shooting, whose killing by officer Mohamed Noor has made international headlines. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. gads_event = event; I read that youre losing 3540 officers each year to retirement. [5] [6] That erodes that public trust. "I think it was extraordinarily courageous for him to do that, but I also don't think that it was based on community pressure it was based on personal conviction," he said of Arradondo's decision, while also crediting Frey for backing his chief. After Ms. Ruszczyk was killed, several changes were implemented in the department, including a requirement that Minneapolis police officers turn on their body cameras as soon as they start responding to 911 calls. By last month's killing of George Floyd, Chief Arradondo said the Minneapolis black community had had enough. [4], Arradondo was a Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief before being nominated as Minneapolis's new Chief of Police by the Mayor of Minneapolis, after the resignation of former police chief Jane Harteau in mid-2017, shortly after the shooting of Justine Damond by former Minneapolis police officer Mohammed Noor. It was just to build relationships. The vast majority of the white officers don't live in the city, but in the suburbs. But Arradondo, the MPDs first Black police chief, immediately distanced himself from the officers who killed Floyd, firing all four within 24 hours and calling their actions a violation of humanity live on CNN. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo was born and raised in the city he now serves. And the store owners. We know it's broken. Two weeks after Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck, nine Minneapolis City Council members took to a provisional stage in Powderhorn Park, just west of the Third Precinct building. what took place. Mr. Arradondo joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 1989 as a patrol officer and was appointed chief of police in 2017 after his predecessor was forced out in the wake of a controversial killing of a woman by a police officer that year. The recruiting process will include a national search as well, according to the mayor. } Having the hometown gig probably comes with its own pressures, too. The average big-city chiefs shelf life is three and a half years. Floyds death under an officers knee quickly mainstreamed abolitionist thought by suggesting police reform is ineffective and insufficient. Thank god we didnt do it in Minneapolis. cta_2_check_382199 = true; And when it changesvia a migration of people, but also a migration of thoughtso does the outlook for the city. whatever happened. jQuery("#inline_cta_btn_382199").html(inline_cta_button_text_382199); var inline_cta_bg_color_382199 = ''; Silence in action is complicit. jQuery("#inline_cta_2_btn_382199 a input").css("color",inline_cta_2_font_color_382199); The men and women who come to do this work have different political views, families, and the same stressors in life that we all have. Blocks from the courthouse, a news camera sits alone on the street corner. Arradondo is reportedly Minneapolis's first Black police chief and his record in the department is nothing short of impressive. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { In fact, save for a brief stint walking the airport beat in the late 1980s, the chief has spent his whole adult life working for the hometown squad. if( inline_cta_2_button_text_382199 !='' ){ Arradondos testimony in Courtroom 1856 resumed after a lunch break. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo speaks with the media in 2021. And he and others are going to have to come to a reckoning that either they are going to be on the right side of history or they're gonna be on the wrong side of history. In 2007, Arradondo was one of five black officers who sued former Chief Tim Dolan, alleging that he fostered a racially hostile environment. June 21, 2020 / 7:06 PM The complaint had stated that African American officers were disciplined "more harshly and frequently thanwhite officers for comparable or more serious misconduct.".