Dec 3, 2007 6:01 pm US/Central
5 Black Officers File Suit Against City, Chief
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
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According to a complaint filed on behalf of the five officers, the Minneapolis Police Department "has systematically and continuously discriminated in favor of white persons and against persons of color, including African American police officers."
CBS
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Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan
CBS
Five supervising police officers, all higher-ranking veterans, have filed a lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis and Police Chief Tim Dolan over what they claim is discrimination against African-American officers.
Among the incidents cited as evidence of discrimination was the demotion of an African-American investigator for alleged insubordination amid contested motives behind the recent murder of a bicyclist in South Minneapolis.
The complaint was filed by Lt. Medaria Arradondo, Lt. Donald Harris, Sgt. Charles Adams, Sgt. Dennis Hamilton, and Lt. Lee Edwards, all of whom are African-American and all of whom have been employed by the Minneapolis Police Department since the 1980s.
"Their allegations will cover a period of probably 20 years," said Minneapolis Police Community Relations Council Co-Chair Ron Edwards.According to a complaint filed on behalf of the five officers, the Minneapolis Police Department "has systematically and continuously discriminated in favor of white persons and against persons of color, including African American police officers."
"There is a feeling that that information was taken. That some of those officers were identified to the chief and the mayor and consequently was the source of retaliatory action against the leadership of that group of officers," said Edwards.
Listed incidents in the complaint, which numbers 37 pages, span the duration of the plaintiffs' careers within the department.
"What it does talk about is the inconsistent pattern of this city and this department of discriminating against, against African American officers and others of color," said Edwards.
More recently, the complaint cites an alleged incident in which Lt. Robert Kroll implied Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison was a "terrorist." The complaint alleges a lack of corrective behavior.
"It seems like we take one step forward and get pushed back two or three steps," said Minneapolis Police Community Relations Council Co-Chair Clyde Bellecourt. "They don't seem to be meeting any of the suggestions or positions we come forth with."
Another recent incident cited was the demotion of Adams for "alleged insubordination" in the wake of statements made about the circumstances surrounding bicyclist Mark Loesch's death.
When Lt. Amelia Huffman announced the arrest in the Loesch case, Adams and his partner Richard Zimmerman didn't agree with the potential motive she offered for the crime. She told the press Loesch may have been involved in a drug deal.
Adams and Zimmerman both apologized to the family. Adams was reassigned. Zimmerman, who is white, was not.
Late Monday afternoon Dolan released a statement about the lawsuit:
"It is inappropriate for me to comment on this pending lawsuit. However, I want to reiterate my personal commitment to building and retaining a diverse police force that reflects the people of Minneapolis. I am proud of the work that the women and men of the Minneapolis police department do every day, and have confidence that will continue moving forward."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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