Minneapolis Police Officer Previously Suspended for Racist Email Promoted to Lead Homicide Unit Amidst Backlash

Officer Aimee Linson, who was suspended in 2022 following a discriminatory email scandal, returns to the Minneapolis Police Department six months after her reinstatement, sparking criticism over the department's commitment to change.

Lt. Aimee Linson, who was on a year-long paid leave due to a racist email scandal, has been promoted to head the homicide division at the Minneapolis Police Department, just six months after her reinstatement - a move critics view as tone-deaf and indicative of a lack of commitment to change within the department.
Linson's problematic past includes an incident a decade ago where she sent an email chain containing negative depictions and racist stereotypes of Black people to her co-workers.
Despite the allegations, Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended the promotion, citing Linson's experience, suitability for homicide investigations, and interaction skills with individuals in grief as reasons for her promotion.
Complaints against Linson had been filed since the problematic emails were sent, but due to the Minneapolis Police Department’s record of discipline, the content of these complaints remains unavailable to the public.
In response to the backlash, Kimberly Milliard of the Racial Justice Network argued that the promotion reflects the department's lack of commitment to the changes they claim to be embracing, mentioning ongoing consent decrees and investigations against the Minneapolis Police Department.