Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo testified against Derek Chauvin on Monday, the former officer accused of killing George Floyd last May, sparking another heightened call for justice in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Arradondo, the city’s first Black chief, spoke out early in the days after Floyd’s death, where he famously categorized it as a “murder.”
Chauvin’s trial leaves many Black viewers emotionally taxed
Remember, in June Chief Medaria Arradondo wrote,
“Mr George Floyd’s tragic death was not due to a lack of training—the training was there. Chauvin knew what he was doing…what happened to Mr. Floyd was murder.”#DerekChauvin https://t.co/OLWIeJRb3R pic.twitter.com/iAAh7KtCRG
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) April 5, 2021
“Mr. George Floyd’s tragic death was not due to a lack of training — the training was there,” Arradondo said last year. “Chauvin knew what he was doing.”
Arradondo, 54, has over 30 years of experience with the MPD, serving in the force since 1989. He became police chief in 2017.
“We are oftentimes the first face of government that our communities will see, and we will oftentimes meet them at their worst moments,” Arradondo said on Monday during his testimony. “It’s very important that we meet our community in that space, treating them with dignity.”
Arradondo’s testimony, which opened week two of the trial, was closely watched in order to examine Chauvin’s training, his role as a sergeant and his use of force. While the public sphere undoubtedly sees Chauvin’s actions as heinous, he is still subject to a jury trial. But the optics of an officer giving testimony on the side of the prosecution against another officer were striking.
Last year MPD invested over 12 million dollars in training services according to Arradondo.
“We have to make engagement with our community healthy,” he said.
Source: Minneapolis Police Chief Who Fired Derek Chauvin Testifies On Day 6 Of Trial
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