Ex-Minneapolis policeman mourns cops being removed from schools after George Floyd's death
'I would still be working in the schools,' former Minnesota policeman says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A former Minneapolis police officer is speaking out in a new book after police officers were removed from schools following the 2020 death of George Floyd.
"I say it all the time, even here in my new job: If police officers had not been removed from schools, I would not even have thought for one second about working for the Twins," Charles Adams told the Star Tribune, referring to his new job as director of team security for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball.
"I would still be working in the schools," Adams said. Minneapolis got rid of armed police in schools in 2020.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Charles Adams, a former Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer, is speaking out in his new book after police officers were removed from schools there. (AP/Julio Cortez)
Adams also wrote that his experience as a former police officer in Minneapolis, the site of Floyd's murder by Derek Chauvin in 2020, and ensuing riots that later spread across the country did not convince him that most police officers were racist.
Adams also observed in his memoir, "Twin Cities: My Life as a Black Cop and a Championship Coach," that the officers he knew were "more like a lot of Archie Bunkers" who did not show "outright hatred of other races or cultures so much as an enduring refusal to understand them."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Adams said his hope was for "young Black males in America" to read his book so "inner-city communities can see how things that people don't like can change." He is also a successful high school football coach in the city.
"I really hope people around the world and nation can see how important it is to develop these things in communities: outreach, along with being involved with law enforcement," he said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A vigil for George Floyd, who was murdered by a policeman in Minneapolis, Minn., in 2020. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa)
The former cop also spoke out about hiring in the police force, as some departments suffer from recruiting shortages across the country.
"The hiring practices have not gotten better," he said. "It's still who's popular, who you know. We don't have a ton of applicants interested in being in the police department now."
Reached for comment, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara praised Adams and said there needed to be good police officers in schools.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"While I have not read his memoir, I have a deep respect for former officer Charles Adams and the work he did as a school resource officer. In light of Mr. Adams’ dedicated service as a Minneapolis police officer and his service to this community, he comes from a place of experience and his voice deserves to be heard. He is speaking his truth," he told Fox News Digital. "Besides putting his all into his work, he helped save the football program at North Community High School. I agree that we absolutely need good police officers in our schools. Countless youths have had positive experiences with Charles and other school resource officers. We need more police officers like Charles."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This article was updated with a comment from the Minneapolis police chief.