Kroll Chided For Offering Dinner To Officers Who Nab Police Union Vandals

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minneapolis Police Union is looking for the people who vandalized their property. Someone used chalk to write messages on the police federation parking lot.

One of the messages showed the last name of union president Bob Kroll with an obscenity before it. Kroll sent out an email asking for extra patrols at the building.

"'Police are everywhere. Justice nowhere. Abolish the police.' There were vulgarities about me," Lt. Kroll said, while recalling the messages.

Kroll said it's something his secretary has grown accustomed to seeing every Monday morning. Messages on the parking lot, a police state sticker on the door, and recently someone ripped out a "We Support Our Police" sign that was on the front lawn.

"We had our parking lot re-asphalted and the first day it was done. There was chalk and it left permanent marks out there," said Kroll.

Kroll said it's happened about 10 times over the past couple months. So he said he wrote an email asking for extra patrol around the building during nights and weekends.

"I said 'If anyone catches anybody doing any graffiti, I'll buy you a steak dinner and drinks for two at Jax,'" Kroll said.

It wasn't long before he received a message back from Deputy Chief Travis Glampe, saying he was in violation of the code of conduct, code of ethics and the city's electronic communication policy.

"It was saying that we couldn't offer gratuities -- that I had to go through every normal request like any other business owner. I responded back to him with a detailed email on why this isn't a normal request," Kroll said. "Jax is a great restaurant. It's a good gesture. We do things like that for our members all the time."

For Kroll, it's the latest battle with police administrators. Months ago, he referred to Black Lives Matter as a terrorist organization. Police Chief Janee Harteau said the comment was divisive.

He also supported off-duty officers who refused to work a Lynx game after players wore Black Lives Matter t-shirts. A week later, Harteau asked him to stop wearing his police uniform during union interviews.

"I wish the police administration wasn't so anti-police," Kroll said. "These guys forget they got where they are because of this union."

A police spokesperson said this is an internal matter and they are investigating what was said in the email exchange. The Federation is putting up cameras at their headquarters and will also be putting up a fence within the next, few months.