MINNEAPOLIS INTERIM POLICE CHIEF BILL PETERSON PRESS CONFERENCE

All right, well chief here's a new thing you're with me You're here, you're putting it here because I'm not gonna drink it All right, thank you guys for being here really appreciate it I'm Todd Burnett, Commissioner of Community Safety for the City of Minneapolis I'm pleased to introduce Bill Peterson as their mayor's choice for interim Chief of Police for the City of Minneapolis Police Department Before I continue, I just want to thank Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell for filling in the last week as the Acting Chief of Police Chief Peterson has more than 30 years of experience with the Minneapolis Police Department He will continue to rebuild our staffing levels, reduce crime, strengthen our relationships with the community when it comes to trust and also he will continue the work that we're doing with community safety with community safety reform efforts One thing I just want to share with you is that Chief Peterson and I go back a ways when I was Chief Judge of Hennepin County and so we have a really good relationship and I believe that relationship will serve the City well as we continue down this road the next couple of months I'm confident in his experience in leadership and I truly want to thank him for stepping up and answering the call and so I'm going to turn it over to Chief Peterson to give a few remarks and then we'll have a couple of questions Thanks, Commissioner. Good afternoon, thank you all for being here I want to start by saying thank you, thank you to the mayor and to City leadership for providing this opportunity and for demonstrating their trust and confidence in my ability to take on this role I am truly honored. This department and the City are in a clear period of transition. My goal is to praise the ability and leadership for both the department and for the community.