MPD Union Leader: Mpls. Does Not Have A Problem With Racial Profiling

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The president of the Minneapolis Police Union spoke to 830 WCCO Radio's Chad Hartman Tuesday in regards to the four officers that walked out of the Minnesota Lynx game last Saturday.

During a pregame warmup for the match against the Dallas Wings, Lynx players wore black T-shirts that supported the Black Lives Matter movement.

On the front, the shirts said "Change starts with us." On the back, the shirts listed the names of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, and had a Dallas police shield above the phrase "Black Lives Matter."

Four officers who were working the game at Target Center walked off the job. Kroll told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune he commended the officers.

He also took a dig at the championship-winning team, saying only four officers were working the event Saturday because "the Lynx has such a pathetic draw."

During his talk on 830 WCCO Radio, Kroll criticized Gov. Mark Dayton's handling of the Castile shooting, saying it was irresponsible of him to claim racism played a part in the incident, because "it fuels the fire."

Before signing off, Hartman asked Kroll directly if he felt Minneapolis had a problem with racial profiling.

Kroll said, "No."



Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges posted on her Facebook and Twitter in regards to Kroll's words on the Lynx, calling them "jackass remarks."

Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau also said Tuesday that she, unlike Kroll, does not condone that officers walked off the job.

In June, when discussing the federal investigation of the officers involved in the Jamar Clark shooting,Kroll called the Black Lives Matter movement a "terrorist organization".