Chief Rondo

Upon the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd comes an account of leadership, justice, and race by Medaria "Rondo" Arradondo, the first Black police chief of Minnesota.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. Soon, the city and the entire nation erupted with the most destructive and costly civil unrest since the Los Angeles riots twenty-eight years earlier. Standing steadfast in the middle was Medaria “Rondo” Arradondo, a man who understood from an early age that while police could be heroes, they could also be threats, especially to Black men like himself.

Chief Rondo is Rondo’s firsthand account of the events before, during, and after the killing of George Floyd, offering insights into his leadership and the impact on American policing. He reveals the challenges of working against the “blue wall,” which shielded police from accountability, and inspires all leaders pursuing justice within flawed systems.

In 2020, when Chief Rondo led a troubled department facing a national crisis, he put accountability first. Instead of walking the line between Black and Blue, he drew a line between right and wrong, leading to the convictions of officers Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao.