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Minneapolis Police Union President Lt. Bob Kroll said that he consulted with the police union\u2019s attorneys, who said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey\u2019s directive was unlawful.<\/p><\/div>\n
In open defiance of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, the union that represents the city\u2019s roughly 900 rank-and-file police officers announced that it is partnering with a national police organization to offer free \u201cwarrior-style\u201d training for any officer who wants it.<\/p>\n
According to a news release posted to\u00a0the Law Officer website<\/a>, the free online training \u2014 valued at $55,000 a year \u2014 is offered to officers for as long as Frey remains mayor. The training, which covers a range of issues, from \u201cofficer survival\u201d and leadership to fitness and de-escalation, was designed to ensure that officers could \u201creturn home each day to their family regardless of the dangers that they may face and the ignorance of some politicians,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n The announcement comes in response to\u00a0Frey\u2019s ban of the popular training style<\/a>, which he first revealed in his State of the City address last week. Frey said at the time that Minneapolis would become the first department in the country to eliminate \u201cfear-based\u201d training.<\/p>\n Trainings rooted in fear, he said, \u201cviolate the values at the very heart of community policing.\u201d His comments come as law enforcement tactics are under scrutiny following a series of high-profile deaths of civilians at the hands of police around the country.<\/p>\n Many policing agencies, including Minneapolis\u2019, are moving toward \u201cguardian\u201d-oriented tactics, which focus on de-escalating tense situations and use of deadly force as a last resort. But opponents of this approach argue that such techniques endanger officers\u2019 lives by teaching them to let their guard down.<\/p>\n Officers who violate the new ban and participate in such classes outside of work could be disciplined, city leaders said.<\/p>\n Frey doubled down on that sentiment on Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have adopted this new policy because proper training on use of force and de-escalation is of paramount importance,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cOfficers found to pursue any training that conflicts with MPD\u2019s training and has not been preapproved will be subject to discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the police union, was undeterred on Wednesday, saying in an interview that he consulted with the union\u2019s attorneys, who said Frey\u2019s directive was unlawful. Kroll also defended the training, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s not about killing, it\u2019s about surviving.\u201d<\/p>\n Frey said in a statement that the city attorney\u2019s office was consulted during the drafting of the policy, and, \u201cThey are confident in its legal position.\u201d<\/p>\n In a video accompanying the news release, Travis Yates, director of training for the Law Officer organization, said Frey\u2019s order was personal.<\/p>\n \u201cA man that wants to ban this type of training, that has never been to this type of training also expects his officers to run towards gunfire to protect the lives of the citizens of Minneapolis,\u201d Yates said.<\/p>\n Frey said in an interview that he supports authorized ongoing training.<\/p>\n \u201cI care deeply about our officer safety, and that safety can be ensured through existing training, sanctioned by our police department and approved by our chief,\u201d Frey said in phone interview. \u201cEverything from procedural justice to use of force, I have great faith in the training that is sanctioned by Chief Arradondo.\u201d<\/p>\n In a statement, Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said the new policy was enacted to ensure officers only receive training on force and de-escalation that is consistent with \u201ccarefully developed\u201d training by the department.<\/p>\n \u201cThe policy just requires preapproval for external trainings on these topics to make sure there is not a conflict,\u201d Elder said. \u201cThe MPD encourages and supports training for its staff that encompasses officer and community safety based on procedurally just methodology.\u201d<\/p>\n The warrior-style training most recently came under scrutiny after the fatal police shooting of Philando Castile during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights three summers ago.<\/p>\n Jeronimo Yanez, the former St. Anthony police officer who was later acquitted for shooting Castile, attended\u00a0a two-day training course called \u201cThe Bulletproof Warrior<\/a>,\u201d which critics said trains officers to consider everyone and everything a potential threat.<\/p>\n Arradondo said at the time that the department doesn\u2019t currently train officers in such techniques. It\u2019s unclear how many officers have undergone the training in the past.<\/p>\n The debate comes against the backdrop of the murder trial of former city police officer Mohamed Noor, who is charged with killing a woman after responding to her 911 call about a possible sexual assault behind her Fulton neighborhood home. Throughout the trial, prosecutors have sought to paint a picture of Noor as a too-eager officer who fired his weapon without assessing whether the woman posed a threat.<\/p>\n