On Friday, officers of the Minneapolis P.
D. spoke out against former police officer Derek Chauvin in an open letter addressed to everyone, but especially citizens of Minneapolis.
Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes was charged with second-degree murder, and the three other officers on the scene, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, have been charged with abetting and aiding second-degree murder.
The letter was assigned by fourteen MPD officers, stating that “Derek Chauvin failed as a human” and “stripped George Floyd of his dignity and life.”
Paul Omodt, a spokesperson for the officers who penned the open letter said that there were many more willing to sign, “…but the group opted to showcase people from across the PD as well as male, female, black, white, straight, gay, leader, frontline, etc.
Internally, this is sending a message.” He added that most of the officers hold ranks of lieutenant or sergeant.
The letter reads:
“We wholeheartedly condemn Derek Chauvin. We Are With You in the denouncement of Derek Chauvin’s actions on Memorial Day, 2020. Like us, Derek Chauvin took an oath to hold the sanctity of life most precious. Derek Chauvin failed as a human and stripped George Floyd of his dignity and life. This is not who we are.
We Are With You and want to communicate a sentiment that is broad within our ranks. We ask that our voices be heard.
We are leaders, formal and informal, and from all ranks within the Minneapolis Police Department. We’re not the union or the administration. We are officers who represent the voices of hundreds of other Minneapolis Police Officers. Hundreds.
We acknowledge that Chief Arradondo needs each of us to dutifully follow him while he shows us the way. We stand ready to listen and embrace the calls for change, reform, and rebuilding.
We Are With Your moving forward. We want to work with you and for you to regain your trust.
The above letter represents our statement in whole. We will not be having an additional comment or allowing additional interviews. Thank you for giving us voice.”