Minneapolis Council president files ethics complaint against police chief

Minneapolis City Council members discuss defunding police department
Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender speaks to a crowd that gathered at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. Bender filed an ethics complaint against the city's police chief Medaria Arradondo after he held a news conference Wednesday.
Liam James Doyle for MPR News 2020

Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender announced Thursday that she filed an ethics complaint against the city's police chief, Medaria Arradondo, after he held a news conference Wednesday to speak out against the public safety charter amendment.

Arradondo held the news conference at a south side church, but he wore his uniform and stood in front of a background with police department logos.

Bender says Arradondo violated an MPD rule about campaigning in uniform and an ethics rule that prohibits using city resources for political activity.

Question 2 would replace the MPD with a department of public safety that could include police officers “if necessary.”

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo speaks during a press conference Wednesday.
Matt Sepic | MPR News

Among other things, Arradondo criticized what he said was a lack of detail in the proposal, and said it would make it hard to recruit new officers.

In her ethics complaint, Bender also names Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Bender has served two terms on the city council and is not seeking re-election.

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