North Side group pays tribute to former Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo

Minneapolis community members and leaders gathered Saturday night at Shiloh Temple on West Broadway to pay tribute to the 32-year career of Chief Medaria "Rondo" Arradondo.

Arradondo, the first Black chief of police in Minneapolis, retired in January after announcing his plans in December. Mayor Jacob Frey proclaimed Jan. 15 "Medaria Arradondo Day" in the city. At the event Saturday, Gov. Walz sent a declaration making Feb. 26 "Medaria Arradondo Day" statewide.

"We are losing more than a great chief, we are losing something God sent," said Spike Moss, a Minneapolis community and civil rights leader who spoke at the event. "He respected the law and he respected our humanity."

A south Minneapolis native and graduate of Roosevelt High School, Arradondo joined the Minneapolis police force in 1989. He started as a street cop on the North Side and served in multiple roles in the department.

It wasn't a steady rise through the ranks. Arradondo and four other officers sued the department in 2007 for racial discrimination, saying they were frequently passed over for promotion. He was demoted at times, but in 2017, then-Mayor Betsy Hodges picked Arradondo to succeeded Janeé Harteau as chief.

Arradondo took over after the police shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond and calls for reforms in the department. He leaves the department after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 and even louder calls for reforms.

Despite criticism of the department, polls suggested the community supported Arradondo as its chief. A Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 Minnesota Poll of 800 Minneapolis voters in August 2020 showed that two-thirds of them had an unfavorable view of the department but 63% had a favorable view of Arradondo.

He publicly spoke out against a Minneapolis ballot item that proposed replacing the Minneapolis Police Department with a new department of public safety. He faced an ethics complaint for lobbying against the proposal while in uniform. The ballot item was rejected by 56% of Minneapolis voters, and the ethics complaint was eventually dismissed.

A group of community leaders honored Arradondo at a dinner Friday night, and the event on Saturday at Shiloh Temple drew about 75.

Bishop Richard Howell of Shiloh Temple International Ministries celebrated Arradondo's transparency and willingness to face the community during times of tragedy and questionable behavior by police.

"Rondo was out there to show the public that the police do care," Howell said. "Chief Rondo was able to retire with a great legacy and a great example for a new chief to follow."

As he heads into retirement, Arradondo said he still feels that he has something to offer and give back to the community who supported him. He said he is looking at opportunities in the public and private sector but isn't looking for another chief of police position.

"I am taking this opportunity to recalibrate and reset," Arradondo said. "I want to do something that will challenge me professionally and personally."