Mayor Frey outlines support for MPD Chief nominee

Okay, we got to take you live back out to the Minneapolis City Council where Mayor Jacob Fry is trying to convince the city council to approve his nomination of Bill Peterson to lead the police department. Let's listen in. That is almost never the case, especially when we're talking about a police officer who's done some really hard stuff, including SWAT. Here we have a person that has deep respect. From officers within the department that has the ability to tell them what they don't want to hear. One of the first steps of creating change is having a leader who officers are willing to listen to. He is that kind of leader. One of the first steps is, yes, having an officer that's willing to admit when he's wrong, but also to take responsibility not for what has happened in the past, but also for where things are going into the future. He's done that. Whether through disciplinary actions, righting the wrongs of finance decisions, making sure that the leadership team is built out, domestic violence or reduction of crime. Interim Chief Peterson has done that. I do understand that council members may very well have had and presently have different person that they would have preferred be the choice. I respect that. But having a different favorite doesn't mean that this particular candidate lacks qualification to do the job extraordinarily well. The question is not, who is your favorite? The question is, is the candidate before us qualified to do this job exceptionally well? And I think, based on what we've seen, the answer, guys, is a resounding yes. Give us and the department and the administration the ability to make the change that we all want to see. Hold us accountable by all means. If after you've placed the trust in me or this chief, we fall short, but by leaving us in a place of no man's land, by leaving us in a place of limbo, by leaving us in a place where the operational considerations are in flux, by the change that we need to make is uncertain, that is not putting Minneapolis in the right trajectory. And so I would encourage all of us To think not what is best for anything other than Minneapolis, this police department, in this particular moment, at this particular time, and where ultimately we can bring this team. We've got to think of ourselves, especially right now, as a team, guys. We are a team. This is the moment to be a team. So far, I haven't heard real concerns about the background. I haven't. I have heard concerns about the way that he answered the question regarding racism, and it's fair. Also understand that he's not a politician, that that may not be his strongest area where he's able to answer questions for, by the way, three and four hours on end without making a single mistake. He will. I certainly will. And we've got to also understand that there is a greater service that we are trying to accomplish here. So I'm asking for your consideration. In some cases, I'm asking for your reconsideration. This is an important choice, one that shouldn't be overlooked because it has long-term consequences for our ability to recruit the next chief. There's not a hypothetical candidate externally that will suddenly come up, especially after a down vote. There are candidates internally that are watching exactly what happens here. I will be the first to say that our police department needs a lot of work, and at the same time, I'm extraordinarily proud of them. Both of those things can be true at the same time. We can hold these two truths in our heart at the same time, and so I ask you to hold two truths in your heart right now. You may have another ideal candidate, and at the same time, Interim Chief Billy Peterson is an incredibly and exceptionally qualified person for this job. Council Members, I ask for your support.