MINNEAPOLIS – The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis announced its endorsement of Jeff Johnson for governor on Monday, saying he is a “proven leader for law enforcement.”
“As a Hennepin County Commissioner, Jeff is a proven leader for law enforcement,” Lt. Bob Kroll, President of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis said. “We don’t have to guess where he stands on law and order, and Jeff has assured me he would be supportive of pay and retirement benefits for first responders, which is very important to us.”
The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis represents more than 900 law enforcement professionals and is the largest non-affiliated law enforcement union in the state of Minnesota. Johnson said he is proud to receive the union’s endorsement.
“The men and women risking their lives to keep us safe need to know we have their backs and I will have their back,” Johnson said.
A key factor in the endorsement was Johnson’s strong stance against sanctuary city policies, a stark contrast to his opponent, Democrat Tim Walz, who has openly advocated for turning Minnesota into a sanctuary state.
“Jeff Johnson stands strongly against sanctuary city and sanctuary state laws and we agree with Jeff that local law enforcement needs to partner with the federal government to ensure public safety and remove the criminal element from cities, states and the country,” Kroll said.
The issue of sanctuary city policies hits close to home for Kroll. Last week, the city of Minneapolis announced plans to place “Know Your ICE Rights” placards in police cars, furthering the city’s sanctuary city agenda. Kroll called the move “insane” and said it was “all too typical of the lunatic left.” Johnson reiterated his support for Kroll and other law enforcement personnel, saying he won’t support such measures as governor.
Sanctuary city policies has become a key issue this election cycle. While several Democratic candidates have campaigned in favor of making Minnesota a sanctuary state, a KSTP/Survey USA poll shows the issue does not play well with most Minnesotans. According to the poll, 59 percent of those surveyed do not want Minnesota to become a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants.
“I won’t make Minnesota a sanctuary state,” Johnson said. “We need to empower local law enforcement to work with federal authorities to keep bad guys – not refugees, not immigrants – but bad guys off the street.”
