Video Of Bar Fight Involving MPD Cops Released
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Video released Monday shows Minneapolis Police Officers Brian Thole and Shawn Powell telling Green Bay Police about a fight with a group of black men in late June – an incident that resulted in both officers being placed on paid administrative leave.
When Green Bay Police arrived on the scene that June night, dash cam video shows off-duty officers Thole and Powell in the middle of a confrontation - which they continue to pursue even after police try and break it up.
Thole, wearing a dark shirt, and Powell, wearing a white shirt and baseball cap, can be overheard telling officers that they are members of the Minneapolis SWAT Team.
According to a more than 40-page report filed by Green Bay Police, Thole and Powell used racial slurs when describing the men with whom they were arguing.
"We (expletive) were walking down the street and these dudes were doing their little monkey thing," said one of the MPD officers.
"I told them we are police officers, stay away. They charged me and I punched them. I'd do it again," Thole said.
When the men don't think the officers are taking them seriously, one of them refers to Green Bay Police as a "clown show."
"Jumped by nine black guys and we are the problem? Two small white guys? You got a crowd of black guys up there," Thole said.
And when a GBPD officer tells Thole not to worry about getting in trouble if he didn't do anything wrong, Thole refers to Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau's sexuality.
"Are you kidding me? We have a lesbian, (expletive) chief that's looking for any reason....We'll never come back," Thole said.
Thole and Powell were not arrested but showed up at the Green Bay Police Station at 3:00 a.m. They were told they would be arrested if they continued to create a disturbance.
Powell talked to a former co-worker and apologized the next afternoon, then the two men cut their trip short and headed back to the Twin Cities.
Minneapolis Police are conducting an internal investigation into what happened.
