MPR News with Angela Davis

St. Cloud’s police chief on building community trust and the future of policing

A police chief in uniform speaks.
St. Cloud, Minn., police Chief Blair Anderson speaks at police headquarters in May.
Matt Sepic | MPR News file

St. Cloud Police Chief Wm. Blair Anderson is one of only four Black police chiefs in the state of Minnesota. During his nine years in the job, he’s gained a reputation for prioritizing community relationships and rebuilding trust

After George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer, Anderson spoke publicly about his experiences with racial discrimination by police. On the other hand, he has also criticized police reform proposals by state lawmakers, saying they could put police and the public in more danger. 

Host Angela Davis spoke with Anderson about his work in St. Cloud, building community trust and what comes next for policing.

She also caught up with MPR’s senior economics contributor Chris Farrell about the latest business news. 

Guests:

  • Wm. Blair Anderson is the chief of police for the St. Cloud Police Department.

  • Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor for MPR News.