time to read about Chief Rondo's new appointments, I understand.
Take care
Be safe
Doris
*News Release*
Contact: John Elder, Director, Office of Police Information
(Office) 612-673-3829
(Mobile) 612-578-4322
(Email) <email obscured>
(Twitter) @MinneapolisPD
(Website) www.insidempd.com
*Chief Arradondo Announces Leadership Appointments*
December 18, 2020 (MINNEAPOLIS) Chief Arradondo is pleased to announce the
placement of the following personnel in his command staff:
*Henry Halvorson – Assistant Chief*
Henry Halvorson started his Minneapolis Police Department career as a cadet
in the Police Academy in 1992. He has served as a patrol officer in the 2nd
and 3rd Precincts, and as an investigator in Public Housing, Sex Crimes and
Internal Affairs. As a Lieutenant he has been a supervisor in both the 1st
Precinct and the Internal Affairs Unit. Nationally, he has also been a
leader with the Native American Law Enforcement Summit (NALES). Deputy
Chief Halvorson has led many of the internal aspects of the Department,
including Training, Internal Affairs, Records Information, Property and
Evidence, and the Community Service Officer Program. Deputy Chief
Halverson attended and graduated the FBI National Academy in 2015 and holds
a Masters Degree in Police Leadership from St. Thomas University.
*Amelia Huffman – Deputy Chief of the Professional Standards Bureau*
Inspector Amelia Huffman most recently commanded the 5th Precinct which
encompasses the 20 neighborhoods in the southwest corner of the city.
Huffman has a long history with the 5th Precinct, working there in her
first assignment as a patrol officer, as a member of the Community Response
Team and as a shift Lieutenant. She brings a wealth of experience to this
role. After joining the MPD in 1994, she rose through the ranks in a
variety of assignments in the 3rd and 5th Precincts, investigations and
administration. She served as an investigator in the Financial Crimes Unit,
Crimes Against Children Unit, and Internal Affairs as well as the Public
Information Officer and the Commander of the Homicide and Licensing Units.
She was promoted to the rank of Captain and commanded the Criminal
Investigations Division before that rank was abolished in 2013. Inspector
Huffman earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree
from Stephens College.
*Charlie Adams – Inspector of the 4th Precinct*
Charlie Adams leaves the role as Commander of our Violent Crimes Division
(VCID). Previous to taking on this role, he was the Commander of the MPD’s
Community and Collaborative Advancement Division. Commander Adams began his
MPD career in 1987 and he’s served in 4 of the city’s 5 police precincts,
the Juvenile Unit, the Homicide Unit and the Internal Affairs Unit. As
Commander of the VCID, Adams oversaw a division which includes, but is not
exclusive to, homicide, robbery and assault.
*Katie Blackwell – Inspector of the 5th Precinct*
Katie Blackwell was most recently the Commander of the Training Unit and
oversaw the department’s In-Service Training, Academy, Field Training
Officer (FTO) Program, Recruitment and Backgrounds, Call Center, Police
Athletic League, Homeless and Vulnerable Population, Procedural Justice
Program, and Leadership and Professional Development Programs. She most
recently served as a Lieutenant in the MPD’s Training Unit where she
created and developed a comprehensive Leadership Course for recently
promoted Sergeants and Lieutenants, restructured the FTO program and
developed FTO Development Courses. She began her career with the MPD as a
Community Service Officer in 2000 and has served in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4
th Precincts. She was an investigator in the Assault Unit, Violent Crimes
Investigations Team, Homicide Unit, Sex Crimes, the Violent Offender Task
Force, Safe Streets Unit and Community Response Teams. Blackwell took on
secondary assignment and was a supervisor on the the Crisis Negotiations
Team.
Commander Blackwell is a 23-year Veteran of the Minnesota Army National
Guard and is currently assigned as the 34th Infantry Division’s,
Headquarters of the Headquarters Battalion, Command Sergeant Major. She
deployed as part of a NATO peacekeeping force in Bosnia-Herzegovina and
deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was awarded a
Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Blackwell has her B.S. in Police Science and an M.A. in Public Safety
Administration from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She is also a
graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.
*James Novak – Commander of the Violent Crimes Investigative Division
(VCID)*
Commander James Novak started his career with the Minneapolis Police
Department in 1992 as a cadet in the Police Academy. He has served as a
patrol officer in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Precincts, and as a Director of the
Police Activities League, which focuses on mentoring and building
relationships with youth. As a Lieutenant, he has been a supervisor in the
1st Precinct and Juvenile Investigations Unit, which included working with
the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, and other law enforcement agencies
to address the increased number of violent crimes. He has also worked and
participated with the Police Community Review Panel, Office of Police
Conduct Review, Restorative Justice Community Action Committee, Police and
Community Fellowship Mediator, SWAT Tactical team and Crisis Negotiator,
Driving Instructor, and a Fitness Coordinator. He was also a Native
American Law Enforcement Summit planning committee member and Free Speech
Liaison for the Republican National Convention. He holds a master’s degree
in organizational management from Concordia University and is a graduate of
the Southern Police Institutes 117th Administrative Officers Course.
*Darcy Horn – Commander of the Training Division*
Commander Darcy Horn joined MPD in 1996. Over 15 years of experience in
the Patrol Bureau including 911 response and neighborhood beats. Secondary
unit experience on the Mounted Patrol, coordinating with street supervisors
to effectively manage bar closes downtown. Her investigative experience in
plain clothes operations for the Community Response Team at the precinct
level for narcotics investigations and prostitution details. Two years of
experience investigating domestic assaults and stalking cases. As a core
member of a team who worked closely with the National Initiative for
Building Community Trust and Justice to develop and implement training on
Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias in the Minneapolis Police Department.
This work is based on the Pillars developed by President Obama’s Task Force
on 21st Century Policing. This training was also developed and given to
members of the community. For 18 months, she served as Public Information
Officer where she was responsible for giving public data to members of
local, regional, and national media. This included representing the
Minneapolis Police Department when it hosted the Super Bowl in 2018. This
experience also included many public speaking events throughout the
community. In September of 2019, she was promoted to the Lieutenant of the
Sex Crimes Unit where she oversaw the teams investigating sexual assaults,
stalking, child pornography, indecent exposure solicitation cases,
predatory offenders and human trafficking.
These appointments become effective in 2021.
We thank those who have served in these positions with dedication and
integrity previously. Please enjoy your well-deserved retirements!
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