As the senior Minneapolis cop and designated field training officer (FTO), Derek Chauvin held a position of authority over the other three officers on the scene when George Floyd died on May 25, 2020.
Soon after, questions were raised about how and why the former Minneapolis police officer became an FTO and was in the position to train novices. Scrutiny of his service record revealed that the veteran officer had a history of aggressive policing — including 17 citizen complaints against him.
Chauvin's murder conviction in Floyd's death prompts broader questions: Which officers should be allowed to train rookies during the new officers' first weeks on the street? Further, how are FTOs selected, evaluated and trained themselves? What are the criteria for being qualified to teach other cops?
Turns out there isn't much in the way of criteria — or evaluation. That's not good enough and must change. The initial on-the-job training cops receive as they begin their careers can help set the tone for the type of officers they'll become.
A recently released city audit found that the Minneapolis Police Department's training system lacks accountability and oversight. Last week, the city's Internal Audit Director Ryan Patrick said MPD's decentralized FTO system sometimes allowed trainers to operate with little scrutiny. He said there is currently no formal process for keeping track of FTO performance.
The report offers a few recommendations — including improved internal communication, incentive pay and updating expectations for new officers and FTOs. The audit department also will study other training programs and offer further recommendations.
Currently, after graduating from the police academy, new hires in Minneapolis spend roughly five months shadowing more experienced officers to add to their classroom experience. In practice, critics both inside and outside the department have said some FTOs have for decades helped promote a culture of aggressive, excessive-force policing.
During a news conference, Mayor Jacob Frey said he agreed with the need for more "quality control" within the FTO program, including regular check-ins with the trainers themselves. He said he said he would include funding in his 2022 budget to support some of report's recommendations, which could include incentive payments to help attract better trainers.
In addition to providing the right kind of training for rookies, better FTO oversight could help MPD with its recruiting problems. Interest in law enforcement careers is down, so the department doesn't have a large pool of good candidates. That's despite having positions open; MPD has about 200 fewer officers than it had last year — nearly one quarter of its 2020 authorized force of 889.
But should the department gain a reputation for offering good, compassionate, public-service-minded training and policing, interest in careers as cops could increase.
Last month, Chauvin was sentenced to 22½ years in prison for the murder of Floyd, who died under Chauvin's restraint. The officer had held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes. Floyd's death prompted national and international protests and demands for police reform and some calls to defund or eliminate police altogether.
Without question, major changes are needed in MPD, and it's critical to have the most qualified veterans mentoring and training new recruits. The city and MPD must do a better job of selecting, training and monitoring within the program.
