Title
Recognizing and honoring Chief William Kelso Finney for the naming of the Saint Paul Police Department Western District.
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WHEREAS, The Saint Paul Police Department wishes to recognize and honor retired Chief William Kelso Finney by naming the Western District building (389 North Hamline Avenue, Saint Paul) the “William K. Finney Western District;” and
WHEREAS, Chief William K. Finney was born and raised in Saint Paul's historic Rondo neighborhood, graduated from Saint Paul’s Central High School in 1966 and graduated from Mankato State University in 1970, where he also worked as a police reserve officer; and
WHEREAS, he was sworn in as a Saint Paul Police Officer in 1971, and promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, captain and chief, during his tenure; and
WHEREAS, he also served as a patrol officer, investigator, community projects leader, patrol supervisor, director of training and executive officer and team commander for the Central District of the city; and
WHEREAS, in 1992, he became the first African-American in Minnesota history to be appointed as police chief, making him Saint Paul's 38th Chief of Police; and
WHEREAS, he served over 33 years with the Saint Paul Police Department and retired in 2004 after 12 years as chief of police; and
WHEREAS, his professional mantra included the “Four P’s,” which were: Pride, Professionalism, Participation and Productivity; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure, he diversified the department and actively worked to implement community-oriented policing strategies and hired officers that more directly reflected the city’s changing demographics; and
WHEREAS, he is also recognized for his efforts in the hiring and promotion of women to entry-level and meaningful leadership positions within the department, as he placed women in a variety of managerial and supervisory positions, including the promotion of the department's first female homicide unit commander; and
WHEREAS, his efforts improved relations bet...
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