Media Statement
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2020
Contact: Media@MPPOA.com
 
MPPOA statement on Councilmember Ellison’s false claims of police

(St. Paul, Minn.) – Recently Minneapolis Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison made the following statement as reported (Jennifer Bjorhus and Liz Navratil, “‘Staggering’ number of Minneapolis cops seeking disability benefits, Star Tribune , July 17, 2020).

“… we’re also seeing, quite frankly, our police force express a deep resentment of our city and abandoning our city,” Ellison said. “We’re seeing that in the form of officers either resigning or, you know, making claims of harm that they themselves caused and taking advantage of that.” And “…we do have officers who are rushing to find their way out of their obligation to our constituents in a myriad of ways,” Ellison said.

Today Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Executive Director Brian Peters made the following statement in response, on behalf of law enforcement across the state:

“It is shameful for Ellison and other political leaders to make unequivocally false accusations of law enforcement. We shouldn’t downplay mental illness, and we shouldn’t denigrate the public safety needs of the community. We urge civility and honesty at the forefront as a way to work together to improve community safety and trust.

Minneapolis officers continue to work overtime, even after the extraordinary efforts during the riots and unrest. In the last month, we’ve seen unprecedented amount of criminal activity, emboldened by the lack of support of police by our city’s leaders. 

To Councilmember Ellison: We’d strongly encourage you to learn more about the officers you slandered and the police department you wish to dismantle. Ride along with a patrol officer. Visit the precincts. Spend even a few hours with rank and file officers so you can understand safety needs in the community, as it is a primary role of government. Public safety of the city’s residents and visitors should be at the core of city’s priorities. You’ll find the members of the Minneapolis Police Department are committed to serving with honor and integrity, and stand ready to work with city leaders to improve community safety and trust.

To the residents of Minneapolis: You deserve to be safe. You deserve a city council that values your public safety. Your public safety officials of law enforcement are working hard every day to maintain law and order, and officers know they need to work hard to foster a relationship of trust and respect.

Let’s stop pointing fingers, and get serious about working together - with law enforcement - to increase public safety, the primarily role of government.”

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The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) has represented Minnesota’s public safety officers for nearly 100 years and currently has 10,000+ members who hold active law enforcement licenses in the state of Minnesota. Our members include police officers, correctional officers, dispatchers, and firefighters. The MPPOA is the largest association representing public safety professionals in the State of Minnesota.