MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minneapolis police union head Lt. Bob Kroll cannot work as a police officer in three metro counties in the next decade as part of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit over the treatment of demonstrators following the murder of George Floyd by an MPD officer in May 2020.
Under terms of the settlement, Kroll agreed that he will not work as a police officer in Hennepin, Ramsey or Anoka counties for the next 10 years, he will not serve in a leadership role for any law enforcement agency in those counties, he will not serve on the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training, and he would testify in any trials related to the suit.
Civil rights attorney and former Minneapolis NAACP president Nekima Levy Armstrong was a plaintiff in one of two lawsuits that were later combined against the city of Minneapolis and Kroll.
“The fact that Bob Kroll is now banned from serving in law enforcement in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Anoka Counties for the next ten years is one of the best possible outcomes we could have hoped for as plaintiffs in the civil suit," Armstrong told KARE 11. "While an MPD officer, Kroll engaged in excessive force against community members and was named in a number of civil suits as a result of his alleged violent conduct. As Minneapolis Police Federation president, Kroll made public statements justifying the actions of police officers who used deadly force and showed great insensitivity towards George Floyd after he was murdered by Minneapolis police officers. This is not the type of law enforcement leadership that our city, county, or state needs as we seek to hold police accountable who engage in excessive force and misconduct.”
"The case alleged that [Kroll's] actions as a de facto policymaker led to the use of excessive force against demonstrators," ACLU of Minnesota Legal Director Teresa Nelson said in a statement. "We hope this settlement sends the message to other police that mistreatment of people trying to assert their First Amendment rights will not be tolerated."
In the settlement, Kroll denied "any and all claims of wrongdoing that have been asserted against him," but agreed to the terms to "avoid the expense and inconvenience of litigation."
Kroll has not yet responded to KARE 11's request for comment.
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