Brian O'Hara

I've tried to be present as much as possible with our officers, both out on the street and in the stations.

And it's been very, very difficult, not just for them, but for the family members that are at home when they're getting called in, when they're getting held over.

It's bringing everyone, our residents, it's bringing all of these emotions from all of this trauma back up to the forefront.

If it is the case that there is quotas, I think we learned a long time ago in this country that policing for quotas is not a good thing and that bad things happen because of it.

So this has been a question that comes up repeatedly, and it's one that we get accusations all the time.

I know everyone sees things through one political filter or another.

The reality is the responsibility of the Minneapolis Police Department is to keep the streets and the people in this city safe, period.

So what happens, what has been happening over and over and over again, once a situation deteriorates where there's a public safety threat, where there is actual violence, threats of violence or property damage,

We insert ourselves into that chaos like we would in any other situation where those types of things are happening.

And we try and slow things down and deescalate and keep the peace.

All of these resulting actions and everything that has happened very clearly has had a dramatic impact and a toll on our officers.

There's no question about it.

But I just, I want to finish, if I may, your original question.

Even when we show up where there's hotels being damaged and we try and stop that and make arrests, people then view that as, oh, well, you're protecting the ICE agents in the hotel.

No, we're protecting literally everyone.

Yes, you are.

In my years of experience as a police officer over the last 25 years, I can tell you police officers have been training more and more as time has gone on to try and avoid these situations in the first place, especially the last few years.

There's been a very strong emphasis on trying to de-escalate situations whenever possible.

But certainly for many years, professional law enforcement training has been to try and avoid situations

using tactics that place officers in a situation with an unarmed motorist where deadly force may be necessary.