The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association is criticizing Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s statements on Monday, when she announced her office was dropping the charges against Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan in the shooting death of Ricky Cobb II.

“I don’t think anyone feels like they got justice out of this case,” said Jeff Potts, the executive director of MCPA.

He sent Moriarty a letter on Tuesday, copying other top officials, to raise concerns about her comments.

“It’s okay to change your mind on prosecuting a case, it happens but I think what we would expect is an honest explanation of why that decision was made,” said Potts. “I think what we heard was a long list of grievances with law enforcement.”

According to Moriarty on Monday, the decision was based on new evidence and re-watching the body camera footage. She said she learned that Londregan planned to testify he felt Cobb was reaching for a service weapon.

Before Moriarty explained her decision, however, she shared frustration Cobb wasn’t mentioned during remembrances on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder.

“Four years ago we heard politicians promise to invest in genuine and system change in policing to prevent police violence against community members yet what changes have we actually seen?” said Moriarty. “Time after time after time our black community is told there can be no criminal accountability because of system barrier after system barrier.”

Potts, in the letter, said MPCA members were “dumbfounded” by her message that “system barriers” contributed to her decision. He goes on to write, “you can’t make the facts for your desire to vilify all police officers.”

He also pointed out police reform in the letter, including the passage of the Minnesota Police Accountability Act in 2020 and recent changes to traffic laws.

“I think all of us who have worked on that, including the legislators had to be frustrated, and just felt like [what she said was] just not true,” said Potts. “For the police chiefs who have been working really hard, and not just for the last four years but really a long time to strengthen those relationships, it’s a setback.”

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked whether he believed Moriarty should step down.

“I want and I’ve offered when we sent the email, we want to work with the county attorney to be a good partner,” said Potts. “I am not going to give an opinion on whether she should stay in office or be recalled, I want to see better.”

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office did not make Moriarty available for an interview on Wednesday but provided a statement, which said, “The decision to bring charges in the case was appropriate based on the evidence and information available at the time the decision was made. A team of former federal prosecutors agreed. Monday’s necessary, ethical decision does not change that nor does it change the fact that Ricky Cobb II should still be alive today.”

A copy of the letter sent to Moriarty can be read below.