Bob Kroll, the president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, is under fire after a controversial letter the union chief wrote to federation members on Monday was leaked. Former Minneapolis Police Department chief Janee Harteau obtained a letter Kroll sent to union members and took the letter public on Twitter, calling Kroll a disgrace and urging for him to turn in his badge.
In the letter, Kroll addressed fellow union members and praised police in their handling of the protests, writing they’d done “excellent work” in "keeping your coworkers and others safe." Kroll continues to then write that the police are currently up against a “terrorist movement” and shared how he wished the police department had granted officers permission to use “gas munitions and less lethal mutations” to stifle protestors.
Donald Trump shakes hands with Minneapolis Police Union head Bob Kroll at a rally, October 2019 - Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Most alarming of all, Kroll attempts to justify George Floyd’s murder. He writes, “What is not being told is the violent criminal history of George Floyd. The media will not air this. I've worked with the four defense attorneys that are representing each of our four terminated individuals under criminal investigation, in addition with our labor attorneys who will fight for their jobs. They were terminated without due process." Read the full letter below.
Kroll and the police union have remained relatively silent about the George Floyd murder, except a small statement regarding the treatment of police officers: "Now is not the time to rush to judgment and immediately condemn our officers. We ask that the community remain calm and the investigation be completed in full."