MINNEAPOLIS— After losing hundreds of officers since 2020, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says the force is now at a turning point.
The Minneapolis Police Department welcomed its largest group of new hires in five years on Tuesday.
“I chose Minneapolis because I believe that Minneapolis is a community that needs officers that help regain that community trust, so, here I am,” one recruit said.
Another recruit said he is an immigrant from Somalia.
It’s a diverse class, and they aren’t just any new hires—they’re community service officers and cadets.
“The people of Minneapolis… they’re good people. That’s who you get to protect every day,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said at the ceremony.
Eight new community service officers will work for the Minneapolis Police Department while getting a paycheck and having their tuition paid at the same time. The 24 new cadets will attend the police academy while completing a law enforcement program that helps them meet the academic requirements of the role.