Following settlement with ACLU, Bob Kroll banned from policing in several counties for 10 years
The former head of the union that represents Minneapolis police officers is barred from working as a licensed peace officer in three metro-area counties as part of a settlement agreement announced Tuesday.
Following a settlement with American Civil Liberties Union’s Minnesota chapter, the former president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, Bob Kroll, is banned from serving as a police officer in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Anoka counties for the next 10 years, according to the settlement agreement.
The ACLU says the settlement with Kroll stems from two class action lawsuits filed over police mistreatment of demonstrators in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
Additionally, Kroll may not serve on the Minnesota POST Board or hold any leadership positions in the three counties for 10 years.
According to court documents, following the settlement, ACLU dismissed its claims against Kroll on Feb. 22.
ACLU sent the following statement to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS:
“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.”
ACLU of Minnesota Legal Director Teresa Nelson
Following the murder of George Floyd, many community groups called for Kroll to be fired or for him to resign for “fostering a toxic culture within the Minneapolis Police Department.” He has also been named in several lawsuits.
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As previously reported, Kroll retired at the end of January 2021.
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5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has reached out to Kroll’s attorneys for a statement and is awaiting a response.