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Public commenters question MPD use-of-force trainer; city official says trainer reassigned
Summary
Two public speakers criticized Minneapolis Police Department training led by an officer involved in the 2022 killing of Amir Locke. Implementation Unit staff told the commission that the officer is no longer in the training role.
Two residents urged the Community Commission on Police Oversight on Aug. 11 to reconsider who is chosen to lead Minneapolis Police Department use-of-force and de‑escalation trainings, citing the department’s assignment of an officer involved in a 2022 fatal shooting.
The comments came during the meeting’s public comment period. "I think that he is pretty concerning to be leading this training," said Maya Albright, identifying herself as a Ward 2 resident, referring to Officer Mark Hanneman and the 2022 fatal shooting of Amir Locke during a no‑knock raid. Albright said Locke was shot "within 9 seconds of the SWAT team entering his apartment" and said the assignment raised questions about the culture at MPD.
"These actions to date have cost taxpayers here from Minneapolis over $2,000,000," said Rick Crisping, who also requested that the commission review MPD decisions to assign officers with active or past court cases to lead de‑escalation training.
Commissioners later questioned police implementation staff about the training assignment during routine reports. Commander Yolanda Wilkes of the MPD Implementation Unit told the commission that the officer in question is no longer serving as a training instructor. "They are not in that position anymore," Wilkes said when asked whether the officer continued to lead use‑of‑force trainings.
Commissioners and staff framed the exchange as part of a broader discussion about transparency in training assignments and the role of community feedback. Several commissioners asked whether community input is used when the department selects trainers and whether existing or draft policies govern those staffing decisions.
Assistant City Attorney Samantha Fellini addressed a separate but related question about public participation in internal review processes: she said members of the public are free to speak during the commission's public‑comment periods on any subject, including the police chief’s performance, but that the city cannot convene a meeting solely to solicit public comment for a personnel performance review.
The commission did not take formal action at the Aug. 11 meeting on training assignments. Staff from the implementation unit said they were continuing work on policy, training rollouts and community engagement, and that commissioners would be able to follow posted policy comment periods or attend scheduled community sessions to provide feedback.
The public comments and Wilkes’ statement are likely to increase commissioner requests for written policy clarification on how MPD assigns instructors and whether community concerns weigh into those staffing choices. The implementation unit said policies and community engagement processes are being revised and posted on the MPD implementation web page for public comment.
