Medaria Arradondo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Medaria Arradondo
53rd Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department
In office July 21, 2017 – January 15, 2022
Appointed by	Betsy Hodges
Preceded by	Janeé Harteau
Succeeded by	Brian O'Hara
Personal details
Born	1967 (age 57–58) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Children	2

Medaria Arradondo is an American law enforcement official. He served as the Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department from 2017 to 2022. He was the first Black person to hold this important position in Minneapolis.

Arradondo's Journey in Policing

Medaria Arradondo grew up in Minnesota. His family has roots in Colombia. He joined the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) in 1989. He started as a patrol officer. He worked in the Fourth Precinct. Over time, he moved up through different roles. He became an inspector for the First Precinct.

In 2007, he and other officers had concerns. They felt there were unfair practices. These concerns were about promotions and pay. The city later addressed these issues. In 2012, Arradondo was promoted. He became the head of the Internal Affairs Unit. This unit looks into complaints about police officer conduct.

Arradondo served as a Deputy Chief. He was also an Assistant Chief. In 2017, Mayor Betsy Hodges chose him. He became Minneapolis's new Chief of Police. This happened after the previous chief resigned.

Leading During Challenging Times

Arradondo was police chief during a very important time. This included the death of George Floyd. This event led to many protests. People across the country called for change. Chief Arradondo took quick action. He fired the officers involved. This was a historic decision. He also spoke directly to George Floyd's family. He said the officers were at fault.

On June 10, 2020, Arradondo made another announcement. He said the department would not continue talks with the police union. He wanted outside experts to help. They would look at how the union contract could change. The goal was to create a system. This system would show information about officers. It would also allow for real improvements.

During a 60 Minutes interview, Arradondo spoke about trust. He said there was a lack of trust. This was especially true in Minneapolis's Black community. He stated, "We need good policing. We know it's broken. We need to make changes." He suggested important reforms. These included banning certain physical restraints. He also wanted to remove barriers. These barriers protected officers from misconduct charges. He also wanted changes to police union contracts.

In 2021, a vote was held in Minneapolis. It was about whether to get rid of the police department. Chief Arradondo did not support this idea. Voters ultimately decided against it.

In December 2021, Arradondo announced his retirement. His last day as chief was January 15, 2022.

Ranks Held in Service

• Police Officer - 1989
• Sergeant - 1999
• Lieutenant - 2005
• Commander - 2011
• Inspector - 2013
• Deputy Chief - 2015
• Chief of Police - 2017

About Medaria Arradondo's Life

Medaria Arradondo is one of nine siblings. He went to Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. He also graduated from Finlandia University. At that time, it was called Suomi College. It is located in Hancock, Michigan. Arradondo made history. He was the first Black person to be the chief of the Minneapolis Police Department.

See also

• 2020–2021 Minneapolis–Saint Paul racial unrest
• Police abolition movement in Minneapolis