Recruiting For the 21st Century Police Officer; Hiring and Retaining a More Diverse Police Force
December’s topic is a focus on hiring and retaining a more diverse Minneapolis Police Department (MPD).
Our speakers are Kris Arneson, recently retired Minneapolis Police Department Assistant Chief, and Commander Charlie Adams who oversees the Department’s Procedural Justice Division.
Kris Arneson was MPD assistant chief under Janee Harteau. During her thirty-year diverse career, Arneson instituted protocols incorporating car cameras to gather evidence for domestic assaults, and chaired a project to improve police accountability. She last partnered with LWVMpls as a resource person and speaker at the Interrupting the Prison Pipeline, Healthy Communities Forum in March, 2014 and was also a participant in LWVMpls’ program on sex trafficking.
Charlie Adams was named the Commander of the MPD’s Community and Collaborative Advancement Division in 2017. The newly formed division encompasses the department’s community outreach. Selected on his strong community roots and connections, Commander Adams began his MPD career in 1987. He’s served in 4 of the city’s 5 police precincts, the Juvenile Unit, the Homicide Unit and the Internal Affairs Unit. His brother, son and daughter are also proud members of the Minneapolis Police Department.
What changes would result from improved MPD hiring practices involving gender equity? What would be the benefits to the department, to community relations and to Minneapolis? LWVMpls positions on policing date from the studies developed in1971 and 1976. The positions are still valid because the goals have not yet been reached. Examples are:
- Commitment to an ongoing process to recruit well-qualified personnel, particularly minorities and women
- Training programs and administrative policies that provide every officer with a clear understanding of the police role as it relates to the community.