BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — Brooklyn Center is dealing with a shake-up in its police department.
Chief Kellace McDaniel announced his retirement just a little over a year after taking the job. He took over for former Chief Tim Gannon, who resigned in April of 2021, two days after Daunte Wright was killed by then-Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter.
After a nationwide search, McDaniel was announced as the new chief on June 27, 2022.
Now, he says he plans to retire at the end of January.
"One day I was just sitting there and I thought, you know, I'm not getting any younger," said Chief McDaniel, who has served 25 years in law enforcement altogether. "I think you get to that point where it’s that time."
Chief McDaniel first worked with a youth program in Isanti and then at the former St. Cloud Children's Home, followed by Scott County Corrections and finally the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. There, he supervised 57 deputies at the Court Services Division as a lieutenant.
"Wherever I go, it's all about building the relationships," said Chief McDaniel. "You’re always going to get politics no matter what, whether it’s in law enforcement or any other job that you take, there’s just a way to deal with it."
Brooklyn Center is about 10 miles north of Minneapolis. It's a diverse city with about 33,000 residents. He was hired at a very pivotal time — when protests and profound pain were still felt felt throughout the city after Wright's killing.
"I thought, if there's anything I can do to help in that process, as far as healing, I want to have that open door policy, I want people to come to me," said Chief McDaniel.
He credits a drop in crime to new technology. There are several new security cameras around several businesses across the city. He also recently swore-in a dozen new police officers and he plans to be part of the process to find his replacement.
"It's going to take a very professional individual to come in here to build trusting relationships," said Chief McDaniel, who says the search hasn't started quite yet and whether anyone internally has expressed interest in the position.
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