Chief Rondo,
Thank you for writing this book. Thank you for educating me on so much I didn't know about Minneapolis even though I lived there for many years. And thank you for fighting for justice for George Floyd. Everyone should read this book.
"Gianna, I believe adults everywhere have an obligation to all our children to never remain silent when we witness harm against humanity. To remain silent means we are complicit so we must act."

Such an important viewpoint of such an important story. Rondo’s depiction of the history of race & law enforcement in Minneapolis was eye opening & saddening.

I feel as though tough topics like this necessitate learning & acknowledgment, rather than avoidance & ignorance. I hope this book emits empathy & understanding.

The audiobook was produced well & Chief Rondo was a clear narrator.

Wow, this was such a powerful read. Chief Rondo's story starts well before the events that eventually put him in the spotlight. Still, sadly, his experience telegraphed the kind of racial injustice that must have been present in the police department where he worked. Chief Rondo was the first black Minneapolis police chief, and he cared for and respected the people he was tasked with protecting. He tells of incidents where people did not live up to his ideals, but he didn't compromise his.
I listened to the part where he learned about the killing of George Floyd multiple times, because I remember so well what I felt when I learned about it and watched the video. Someone asked him if a police officer had killed someone and he had no idea what they were talking about, because the officers involved did not openly report what happened. If not for the bravery of the bystander, the world would not have seen the video of the brutal killing. It's hard to watch because it goes on so long and there were so many chances to stop.
Understanding how extreme it was, Chief Rondo acted quickly and decisively, but people were already upset at the attempted cover-up. There were riots, and I heard then-President Trump telling Governor Walz that he was doing a good job dealing with it.
This book is a reminder that we can't get better and move forward unless we do face things bravely. I got to listen to the audiobook, thanks to NetGalley, and the narration was so well done and the stories were so compelling that I didn't want to take a break once I started.