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| Black Man Is Arrested While Walking, and Minnesota City Starts a ‘Conversation’ | Black Man Is Arrested While Walking, and Minnesota City Starts a ‘Conversation’ |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The mayor of Edina, Minn., said officials were taking steps to improve relations between the police and minority residents after a white officer’s arrest of a black man who was walking in the street to avoid construction work on a sidewalk last week prompted an outcry. | The mayor of Edina, Minn., said officials were taking steps to improve relations between the police and minority residents after a white officer’s arrest of a black man who was walking in the street to avoid construction work on a sidewalk last week prompted an outcry. |
| The measures were outlined in a five-page announcement, titled “Questions People Are Asking,” that was posted on the city’s website Tuesday. They include a review of police arrest procedures, more bias training for officers and a request for input from the N.A.A.C.P. in Minneapolis on how to collect demographic data on traffic stops. | The measures were outlined in a five-page announcement, titled “Questions People Are Asking,” that was posted on the city’s website Tuesday. They include a review of police arrest procedures, more bias training for officers and a request for input from the N.A.A.C.P. in Minneapolis on how to collect demographic data on traffic stops. |
| The mayor, James Hovland, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday that the steps would be taken despite the city’s conclusion that the officer, Lt. Tim Olson, had followed proper procedures when arresting Larnie Thomas, 34, on Oct. 12 for walking in the street and, according to the Edina Police Department, blocking traffic. | The mayor, James Hovland, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday that the steps would be taken despite the city’s conclusion that the officer, Lt. Tim Olson, had followed proper procedures when arresting Larnie Thomas, 34, on Oct. 12 for walking in the street and, according to the Edina Police Department, blocking traffic. |
| A bystander uploaded a seven-minute video to YouTube showing the officer confronting Mr. Thomas, who resisted and cursed at the officer before he was handcuffed. More than 620,000 people had watched the video as of Wednesday, and many shared it and remarked on social media about the way the police handled the encounter. | A bystander uploaded a seven-minute video to YouTube showing the officer confronting Mr. Thomas, who resisted and cursed at the officer before he was handcuffed. More than 620,000 people had watched the video as of Wednesday, and many shared it and remarked on social media about the way the police handled the encounter. |
| The Minneapolis chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People described the arrest as “humiliating” and “a vivid reminder that blacks are still too often seen as second-class citizens in the State of Minnesota and in this nation.” | The Minneapolis chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People described the arrest as “humiliating” and “a vivid reminder that blacks are still too often seen as second-class citizens in the State of Minnesota and in this nation.” |
| An online backlash grouped Mr. Thomas’s treatment by the police into categories in which African-Americans are singled out as being suspicious or are arrested during routine activities, like shopping and driving. | An online backlash grouped Mr. Thomas’s treatment by the police into categories in which African-Americans are singled out as being suspicious or are arrested during routine activities, like shopping and driving. |
| Mr. Thomas was given a citation charging him with disorderly conduct and failure to obey a traffic signal, and he was dropped off by the police at a shopping mall at his request, the police said. Mr. Hovland said the citation was later dismissed “in the public’s interest.” | Mr. Thomas was given a citation charging him with disorderly conduct and failure to obey a traffic signal, and he was dropped off by the police at a shopping mall at his request, the police said. Mr. Hovland said the citation was later dismissed “in the public’s interest.” |
| The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension declined the city’s request to investigate the episode because it did not involve a death or serious injury, Jill Oliveira, a spokeswoman, said in an email on Tuesday. | The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension declined the city’s request to investigate the episode because it did not involve a death or serious injury, Jill Oliveira, a spokeswoman, said in an email on Tuesday. |
| Mr. Hovland said that Edina, just southwest of Minneapolis, was trying to improve ties with the city’s black residents to pre-empt the possibility of escalating tensions. Minorities make up about 10 percent of the city’s population, and of that population, blacks compose 3 percent, according to census figures. | |
| “We are grateful to have this opportunity to have this conversation in the absence of a bad event,” Mr. Hovland said. “We need conversation beyond the community from people of color to help us understand how to have this conversation.” | “We are grateful to have this opportunity to have this conversation in the absence of a bad event,” Mr. Hovland said. “We need conversation beyond the community from people of color to help us understand how to have this conversation.” |
| Nekima Levy-Pounds, the president of the N.A.A.C.P. chapter in Minneapolis, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that the mayor and several City Council members had apologized in a three-hour community meeting late Tuesday over what had happened to Mr. Thomas. | Nekima Levy-Pounds, the president of the N.A.A.C.P. chapter in Minneapolis, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that the mayor and several City Council members had apologized in a three-hour community meeting late Tuesday over what had happened to Mr. Thomas. |
| Ms. Levy-Pounds said the organization would work with the city on reforms and bias training, and as the city composed a citizens task force to address racial concerns. | Ms. Levy-Pounds said the organization would work with the city on reforms and bias training, and as the city composed a citizens task force to address racial concerns. |
| “In light of the egregious incident that happened, the city of Edina responded at the City Council meeting in a way that demonstrated a level of compassion, and they signaled that they heard what the people had to say,” she said. “I have not seen that happen in any jurisdictions that I have covered.” | “In light of the egregious incident that happened, the city of Edina responded at the City Council meeting in a way that demonstrated a level of compassion, and they signaled that they heard what the people had to say,” she said. “I have not seen that happen in any jurisdictions that I have covered.” |
| In the police report, Lieutenant Olson said he was driving an unmarked patrol vehicle at about 11:46 a.m. on Xerxes Avenue when he saw Mr. Thomas in the street and cars trying to avoid him. Lieutenant Olson wrote that Mr. Thomas did not respond to multiple requests to “get out of the road, stop and return to me,” and kept walking. | In the police report, Lieutenant Olson said he was driving an unmarked patrol vehicle at about 11:46 a.m. on Xerxes Avenue when he saw Mr. Thomas in the street and cars trying to avoid him. Lieutenant Olson wrote that Mr. Thomas did not respond to multiple requests to “get out of the road, stop and return to me,” and kept walking. |
| Lieutenant Olson got out of the car and “grasped his shoulder.” | Lieutenant Olson got out of the car and “grasped his shoulder.” |
| The video recorded by the bystander, Janet Rowles, shows Lieutenant Olson gripping Mr. Thomas by the back of the jacket and pulling him to the squad car. | The video recorded by the bystander, Janet Rowles, shows Lieutenant Olson gripping Mr. Thomas by the back of the jacket and pulling him to the squad car. |
| “For what?” replied Mr. Thomas, who was wearing headphones. | “For what?” replied Mr. Thomas, who was wearing headphones. |
| “You’re walking down the middle of the street,” the lieutenant said. | “You’re walking down the middle of the street,” the lieutenant said. |
| Mr. Thomas said that he was on the “white line,” referring to the shoulder of the road. | Mr. Thomas said that he was on the “white line,” referring to the shoulder of the road. |
| When the officer told him to put his hands on the hood of the patrol car. Mr. Thomas resisted, asking what he had done and slamming his backpack on the hood of the vehicle. | When the officer told him to put his hands on the hood of the patrol car. Mr. Thomas resisted, asking what he had done and slamming his backpack on the hood of the vehicle. |
| After another officer arrived, Mr. Thomas was handcuffed and put in the squad car. | After another officer arrived, Mr. Thomas was handcuffed and put in the squad car. |
| Mr. Hovland said the phone messages that flooded into his office afterward reflected the challenges his city faced: Some said Lieutenant Olson had escalated matters by disrespecting Mr. Thomas, and others said Mr. Thomas had made matters worse by being “belligerent.” | Mr. Hovland said the phone messages that flooded into his office afterward reflected the challenges his city faced: Some said Lieutenant Olson had escalated matters by disrespecting Mr. Thomas, and others said Mr. Thomas had made matters worse by being “belligerent.” |
| “How are we going to figure out what to do to make sure people feel respected every step along the process?” the mayor said. | “How are we going to figure out what to do to make sure people feel respected every step along the process?” the mayor said. |