A Painful Night That Changed a City Forever
Medaria Arradondo clearly remembers the night he saw the video that shook the world. It was nearly midnight when a community activist called him and told him to watch a video spreading online. In it, a white police officer knelt on a Black man’s neck, ignoring desperate cries of “I can’t breathe.”
That man was George Floyd. The officer was Derek Chauvin. And Arradondo was the city’s first Black police chief.
“It was absolutely gut-wrenching,” said Arradondo, now 58, as he reflected on that moment ahead of the tragedy’s fifth anniversary. What he saw on video didn’t match what his officers had initially told him about the incident. Right away, he knew this would change not just his department but the entire city.
The Aftermath: A City in Flames and Pain
The streets of Minneapolis erupted in protests and grief after Floyd’s death. One of the hardest-hit places was Lake Street, where Arradondo later gave an emotional interview from a public library damaged during the unrest.
Nearby stood the burned remains of the Third Police Precinct, which protestors overtook as anger boiled over. Arradondo and Mayor Jacob Frey made the difficult decision to evacuate the building. The chief explained, “When it’s life or death, I’ve got to go on the side of keeping people alive and safe.”
Even now, five years later, parts of the city still show scars from those nights. While some businesses have reopened, others never returned. Empty lots and boarded windows stand as reminders of the pain and anger that spilled onto the streets.
Leading Change Against Resistance
After the killing, Arradondo led efforts to reform the Minneapolis Police Department. It wasn’t easy. The department was known for using force too quickly, and many people didn’t trust officers. Arradondo faced pushback from both police culture and the city’s powerful police union.
Despite these challenges, he took a rare step by testifying against Chauvin during his 2021 murder trial. This was an unusual break in what’s often called the “blue wall” — the culture where officers stay silent to protect one another, even in cases of wrongdoing.
He said progress has been made since then, though slowly. “I believe law enforcement agencies nationwide are holding officers accountable quicker than before,” Arradondo said.
A Personal Reflection on Missed Opportunities
Arradondo, who was promoted to chief in 2017, had been a source of hope for many in Minneapolis’ Black community. People affectionately called him “Rondo.” But he admits that before Floyd’s death, his department wasn’t doing enough to address deep problems.
“I would have pushed harder and sooner to dismantle the toxic culture that allowed that indifference to exist,” he shared. Arradondo regrets not doing more to lift up community voices that had been begging for change for years.
A Memoir, a Message, and a Promise
Now retired, Arradondo has written a book titled Chief Rondo: Securing Justice for the Murder of George Floyd. In it, he talks about leadership, justice, race, and the deep challenges of working within a flawed system.
The book closes with a heartfelt letter to George Floyd’s daughter, Gianna. “I never had the chance to meet Gianna,” Arradondo said. “But I wanted her to know I heard her father’s pleas that night. And I was going to do everything I could to bring him justice.”
He added words he believes Gianna has not yet heard from the officers involved: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for your father being taken from you.”
