Plaintiffs represented by the ACLU of Minnesota have reached a settlement with former MPD union head and Lt. Bob Kroll over his role in the police violence against demonstrators during the George Floyd protests.
As part of the settlement, for the next 10 years, Kroll agrees to not serve as a police officer anywhere in Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka Counties; not serve in a leadership role in any law enforcement agency in those counties; not serve in any capacity on the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training; and to testify in any related trial.
Statement from ACLU of Minnesota Legal Director Teresa Nelson:
"This settlement achieves a much-needed goal: It takes Bob Kroll, a police leader and union head with a long history of racist and inflammatory statements, off the beat and out of police leadership in the Twin Cities metro for a decade. The case alleged that his actions as a de facto policymaker led to the use of excessive force against demonstrators. 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."
Statement from plaintiff Nekima Levy Armstrong:
"For years, Bob Kroll was allowed to engage in conduct that was divisive, unacceptable, and harmful to communities of color. While a Minneapolis police officer, Kroll allegedly engaged in violent and abusive conduct that resulted in him being named in numerous excessive force lawsuits. His presence and his public statements after police killings contributed to a hostile atmosphere for communities of color and those protesting police violence. He should have been held accountable a long time ago, but this settlement agreement, which prohibits his ability to serve as a law enforcement officer in three counties and in various law enforcement leadership positions, is precisely what is needed. I’m grateful that our civil suit and our legal counsel helped make this result possible for our community."
The settlement with Kroll includes two class action lawsuits over police mistreatment of demonstrators during the George Floyd protests, Samaha v. City of Minneapolis and Armstrong v. City of Minneapolis, which a judge consolidated.
The Armstrong case was filed by ACLU-MN, and Fish & Richardson P.C. in July 2020, and the Samaha case was filed by Gustafson Gluek PLLC. In November 2022, plaintiffs in both cases reached a $600,000 settlement with the City that included numerous reforms.
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