Internal Investigations In Mpls Park Police Department
The following KMSP-TV 9 report was aired during the July 21, 2010 10 p.m. newscast:
Internal Investigations in Mpls Park Police Department
MINNEAPOLIS - A day after the Minneapolis Park Police Chief Brad Johnson is let go, the number two man is on leave.
FOX 9 has learned the department's Lieutenant Robert Goodsell is on leave Tuesday, pending an internal affairs investigation.
The commissioners have not been willing to say a word about the sudden departure of their top two cops or why.
The decisions were made by Park Board Superintendent David Fisher, who will not comment.
There may be good reason for their silence. These are internal affairs matters, and that means there always could be a lawsuit. If there is anything the commissioners or superintendent say could be used against them.
Fisher formerly held the job for 17 years, leaving in 1998. He was brought back under a four-month contract to right the ship after the controversial tenure of Superintendent Jon Gurban.
Under the city charter, the park board is completely autonomous, in charge of running the city's 170 parks, and protecting those parks with its own police force.
And yet, over the years there've been suggestions Minneapolis police could and should take over the job to save money.