Edina mayor, City Council apologize over police incident

Published 9:39 am Thursday, October 20, 2016

EDINA — Edina’s mayor and city council have apologized for an incident involving a white police officer and a black man from Minneapolis.

A bystander video posted on social media shows police Lt. Tim Olson grabbing Larnie Thomas by the back of his jacket and reprimanding him for walking in the street near a construction zone Oct. 12.

Thomas objected to the treatment, sometimes swearing at Olson, who wasn’t in uniform. Thomas was cited, but the city dismissed the citation Monday even though it said Olson followed protocol.

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City leaders Tuesday told a crowd of about 150 people that they were sorry about the incident.