In his first substantial comments since the killing of George Floyd, fiery Minneapolis police union president Lt. Bob Kroll blasted the city's handling of the ensuing riots in a letter to the rank-and-file, in which he told officers that they were being made "scapegoats" for the continued violence.
"No one with the exception of us is willing to recognize and acknowledge the extreme bravery you have displayed through this riot," said Kroll's letter, which seems to channel the frustration of some officers who feel abandoned by the administration and City Hall. "I commend you for the excellent police work you are doing in keeping your co-workers and others safe during what everyone except us refuses to call a riot. You've turned the tide of the largest scale riot that Minneapolis has ever seen."
Kroll, who represents more than 800 Minneapolis and park police, went on to accuse Mayor Jacob Frey, Gov. Tim Walz and other leaders of refusing to "acknowledge the work of MPD" and saying they "continually shift blame to it."
"It is despicable behavior," Kroll wrote. "How our command staff can tolerate it and live with themselves I do not know."
He continued by writing that he had reached out to Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka to discuss deploying more Minnesota National Guard troops on city streets and has spoken with other law enforcement leaders across the country to "push our messaging on a national level." He added that he was also working with the union's attorneys to help the fired officers get their jobs back.
Kroll's letter later surfaced on social media, where it was widely condemned as divisive and rekindled questions for some about whether real reform will ever take root in the city's police force. Janeé Harteau, a former Minneapolis police chief and frequent sparring partner of Kroll's, called for him to resign from his post.
"A disgrace to the badge! This is the battle that myself and others have been fighting against. Bob Kroll turn in your badge!" Harteau posted on her Twitter account.
Frey echoed those sentiments in a statement.