Metro police departments stepping in for MPD as it honors fallen officer
As the Minneapolis Police Department’s rank and file honored one of their own, metro police departments stepped up to cover for patrol officers.
“This is a really difficult time for them, so whatever we can do to help them out,” Inspector Elliot Faust, with the Brooklyn Park Police Department, said. “The least that we can do is step in and let them take a little time to reflect and do some mourning.”
A memorial service for Officer Jamal Mitchell was held on Tuesday in Maple Grove. Mitchell, who joined MPD a year and a half ago, was shot and killed while responding to a shooting in late May. Two civilians and a suspect were also killed, and a second officer was hurt.
Since then then, tributes and a memorial have grown outside Minneapolis’ 5th Police Precinct. From Chief Brian O’Hara to other officers close to Mitchell, his colleagues considered him an exemplary officer.
Several agencies are stepping up during this time of mourning.
At a shooting earlier Tuesday, a 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS crew spotted Bloomington, Plymouth, Brooklyn Park and Metro Transit police officers responding to the Loring Park area where it happened.
For Faust and his fellow officers with BPPD, he says it was a call for help that was easily answered.
“There are men and women that are sacrificing day in and day out to come and do this job and work through these tragedies and continue to move forward. It’s not easy,” Faust said.