The Police Federation is very strong in Minneapolis, and its president, Al Berryman, has a very high profile in the city. When asked why he defends officerswho commit abuses, Berryman told a reporter, "People don't seem to realize that [my] job is to defend members and guarantee them due process until the moment they are convicted of a criminal offense."65 Yet after Minneapolis police officer Kent Warnberg was convicted in Wisconsin for fourth-degree sexual assault, for fondling a female National Guard private in 1993, Berryman publicly supported Warnberg's reinstatement with the Minneapolis police department, arguing, "We all make mistakes. It's a matter of degree of mistakes and the ability to accept responsibility for the mistakes."66 After the Sauro settlement, Berryman stated, "We do a very good job of policing ourselves."67 Sauro had been active in the federation, according to press reports.68

The federation has opposed enhanced civilian review of the police. Said Berryman, "There's got to be a limit to even what the public wants as scrutiny. A small portion of the public is never going to be happy until they've got police officers all strung up. But the majority of the public just wants competent law enforcement."69

65 Gilyard, "Al Berryman cops an attitude," Twin Cities Reader, August 30 -September 5, 1995.

66 Ibid., and Anne O'Connor, "Minneapolis officer won't be fired for sexual assault," Minneapolis Star Tribune, February 7, 1995. The incident was also reported as having occurred in 1992.

67 Diaz, "Officials concerned by implications of Sauro verdict," Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 15, 1994.

68 Ibid.

69 Diaz, "Civil rights review sought for some police brutality complaints," Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 10, 1992.