The Minneapolis Police Department recently swore in its first non-citizen officer, Lesly Vera, along with its first Somali female officer, Ikran Mohamed. Both women are part of a group of nearly two dozen new recruits.
Vera, originally from Mexico, has lived in the U.S. since she was four and considers Minneapolis her home, despite not having U.S. citizenship. The change in law, as noted by MPD Chief Brian O’Hara, now allows permanent residents who are non-citizens to serve in the police force.
This development is part of an effort to diversify the Minneapolis Police Department and ensure it reflects the community it serves.
The law allowing permanent residents to join police forces opens the door for a broader pool of candidates to pursue careers in law enforcement, especially at a time when departments across the nation are facing recruitment challenges.
“There may be people who question it, but that’s completely ridiculous,” O’Hara said. “There’s like I mentioned, there is a history in this country of people immediately on arrival to the country, enlisting in the military and serving.”
