Farmington Police Chief Gary Rutherford released a statement on Monday defending State Trooper Ryan Londregan and urging other police chiefs to publicly speak out in support of law enforcement officers. Additionally, the police chief pointed to the Londregan case as a reason for the ongoing “recruiting and retention crisis in Minnesota law enforcement.”
Trooper Londregan is currently facing felony charges for a July 2023 incident in which the law enforcement officer shot and killed Ricky Cobb.
Cobb, a convicted felon, attempted to flee law enforcement in a vehicle while another state trooper was half-inside, half-outside the vehicle. In response, Londregan shot Cobb as his fellow state trooper was dragged for a short distance by Cobb’s vehicle.
“When Mr. Cobb chose to flee with another Trooper hanging part in and part out of the car, Trooper Londregan was not only justified in his decision to use deadly force, but some would also argue that he was obligated to do so in defense of his partner,” said Chief Rutherford.
The police chief added, “Trooper Londregan made a decision under the incredible stress of a dynamic and rapidly evolving use of force incident, a situation the Hennepin County Attorney obviously knows nothing about.”
In particular, Chief Rutherford criticized Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty for the current controversy surrounding a use-of-force expert that was hired by her office to examine the Londregan case.
Alpha News previously reported that a court document filed by Londregan’s attorneys says Jeffrey Noble, the use-of-force expert selected by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO), told Moriarty that “a reasonable officer in Trooper Londregan’s position would have perceived that Trooper [Brett] Seide was in danger of death or great bodily harm, specifically from being dragged by the vehicle as it continued to accelerate.”
Additionally, Noble reportedly “dismantled” various theories regarding Trooper Londregan’s fault in the case. In short, the defense attorneys summed up the situation by saying, “Noble, the HCAO’s handpicked expert, told the HCAO that Trooper Londregan committed no crime.”
In his statement, Chief Rutherford blasted Moriarty, saying, “she ignored her paid expert and criminally charged Trooper Londregan anyway.”
Farmington Police Chief Gary Rutherford is the latest to speak out on the prosecution of Trooper Ryan Londregan, implying a general lack of support for law enforcement by those in power in this state. pic.twitter.com/Mtzdi49vUy
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) March 13, 2024
“Cases like this are why so many cops have left the profession early and why so few young men and women are seeking to join our ranks. Who can blame them?” added the police chief.
However, Chief Rutherford did note that there are still “amazing officers” currently serving Minnesota communities. Describing these officers as “some of the finest human beings any of you will ever have the privilege to meet,” the police chief said he sleeps well knowing such officers serve Farmington.
“But there are fewer and fewer of them every day because of reckless, politically-motivated prosecutions that are tearing apart the very fabric of our society,” added Rutherford.
Chief Rutherford concluded by saying that other “active and working” police chiefs must publicly speak out in support of law enforcement officers. Additionally, the police chief called for the charges against Trooper Londregan to be dismissed.
“It is long past time that people like me, active and working police chiefs, started publicly standing up for the men and women in all of our agencies. They have earned nothing less than our full support,” he wrote. “It is time to end this sham and dismiss the charges against Trooper Londregan.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
