MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's Note: The video above originally aired on Dec. 6, 2021.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced on Saturday that Jan. 15, 2022, will be Medaria Arradondo Day in the city as Police Chief Arradondo retires.
After serving the Minneapolis community since 1989, Minneapolis' first Black chief of police will retire at the end of Saturday.
Mayor Frey said in his proclamation that Arradondo spent 30 years advocating for civil rights and the Black community, and pushed accountability and reform further than any other Minneapolis police chief in the city's history.
Arradondo "has embodied decency, community, and courage in his historic tenure" and "has been unabashed in his commitment to truth, justice, and transparency" during his time with MPD, Frey's proclamation says.
In December, Arradondo announced that he was going to retire in January and Mayor Frey then appointed Deputy Chief Amelia Huffman as interim police chief while the city searches for a permanent replacement for Arradondo.
"Deputy Chief Amelia Huffman is the right leader to carry forward the work toward a more just and equitable system of safety in Minneapolis,” Frey said at the time in a statement.
Frey's office said in the announcement that the proclamation recognizes Arradondo's legacy of dedicated service to Minneapolis and integrity.
The full proclamation can be found below:
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo, a son of Minneapolis, has embodied decency, community, and courage in his historic tenure serving as the first Black Chief of Police in the Minneapolis Police Department, and;
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo has been unabashed in his commitment to truth, justice, and transparency throughout a decorated career of more than 30 years with the MPD, and;
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo, a Southside native and Roosevelt High School graduate, was drawn early to public service, joining the MPD ranks as a young beat officer in 1989, and;
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo leaves a legacy of tirelessly advocating for the Black community and civil rights, and;
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo has fought back in the face of injustice, including suing the department for discrimination with four other Black officers – and winning, and;
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo has worked collaboratively with community to build trust and successfully pushed further for accountability and reform than any Minneapolis Police Chief in history; and
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo has helped shoulder some of the heaviest moments in our city’s history, showing up in his childhood community to be present with mourners at 38th and Chicago in the days following the murder of George Floyd; and
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo never shied away from difficult decisions or the hard work of building new systems of public safety, and;
WHEREAS, Chief Medaria Arradondo’s legacy of leadership and commitment to procedural justice and the safety of every community forms the foundation from which future MPD leadership will guide the department forward, and;
WHEREAS, we as a City are eternally grateful for Chief Medaria Arradondo’s integrity and dedication to the City of Minneapolis, and;
WHEREAS, the City of Minneapolis is better for Medaria Arradondo’s tenure with the MPD.
NOW, THEREFORE, I JACOB FREY, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, do hereby proclaim January 15, 2022 as MEDARIA ARRADONDO DAY IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS
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