I have been closely following the enforcement operations and protests in Minneapolis and believe there are important lessons to be learned from what unfolded. I will approach this the way I would in a classroom or after-action debrief — speaking plainly about what I saw and what it teaches us.
What happened in Minneapolis matters because it will happen again — somewhere else, to another agency, under the same level of scrutiny. Events like this expose what works and what fails when demonstrators, media, leadership and law enforcement collide in real time. The lessons are not political; they are operational and relevant to every agency.
Those lessons apply to everyone involved in events like this — demonstrators, media, leadership and law enforcement. I will address each directly, starting with demonstrators.
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To the demonstrators
Those of you committed to demonstrating peacefully should study the tactics of Martin Luther King and Gandhi to understand how peaceful demonstrations are actually conducted. Calling yourself a “peaceful demonstrator” does not make you one — behavior does.
Many of the actions carried out by people claiming to be peaceful demonstrators in Minneapolis were deliberately confrontational and, in some cases, blatantly illegal. One example was the deliberate invasion of a church service to intimidate worshippers. That is not peaceful protest. It is intimidation.
I have policed many crowds, demonstrations and riots. Had individuals engaged in similar conduct at events my teams and I were responsible for policing, we would have arrested them — not because of their message, but because of their behavior.
If you choose to demonstrate, doing so peacefully and legally requires discipline and self-policing. In practical terms, that means the following:
Permits and legal compliance
- Obtain permits for marches and assemblies
- Obey all applicable laws while demonstrating
- Do not plan actions designed to provoke arrests
Weapons, equipment and appearance
- Police your own members and ensure they are not carrying weapons, projectiles, fireworks, accelerants, spray paint, bricks or similar items
- Do not allow members to wear masks or carry improvised weapons that encourage unlawful behavior
Interaction with officers and the public
- Do not block traffic unless authorized
- Do not obstruct officers performing lawful duties or make physical contact with them
- Do not demonstrate in traffic or engage officers while using motor vehicles
When demonstrators police themselves, events remain manageable. When they do not, law enforcement is forced to respond.
Media
Media presence affects crowd behavior. Anyone who has taught or worked crowd control understands this. Improving media performance at volatile events requires discipline in three areas:
Accuracy and objectivity
- Show footage honestly and avoid selective or misleading edits
- Recognize personal or organizational bias and work to control it
- Report only verified facts and avoid spreading rumors
On-scene conduct
- Ensure reporters on scene follow all lawful commands issued by officers
- Avoid conduct that places reporters inside or influences demonstrations
Responsibility during volatile events
- Be responsible journalists at violent events, not journalists responsible for violent events
Reporters are not just observers at these events. Their conduct and reporting choices influence what unfolds on the street in real time.
Leadership during unrest
Large-scale enforcement operations and demonstrations are leadership stress tests.
Leaders must recognize that laws are being enforced by officers sworn to uphold them, often under extremely difficult conditions. Public statements made during these moments matter. Officers hear them. Crowds hear them. And those words influence behavior on both sides. Statements that publicly second-guess officers mid-operation or restrict lawful assistance can escalate tensions instantly.
It is demoralizing for officers to be ordered to stand down when fellow officers urgently need assistance. Leadership that restricts lawful interagency cooperation during crises compounds risk and undermines morale.
When I taught crowd control, one of my PowerPoint slides was titled “Pouring Gasoline on the Fire.” It illustrated how poorly timed or poorly worded public statements from leaders can escalate tensions and complicate operations faster than almost anything officers do on the street.
Political leaders and executives must recognize that they are leaders at all times, especially when passions are high. Leadership during unrest requires restraint, clarity and responsibility — not emotional reactions or messaging that undermines officers actively performing lawful duties.
ICE leadership
If I were hired as a consultant for ICE, I would tell them that, with the world’s cameras focused on their operations, this is an opportunity not just to perform adequately, but to demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism under stress.
When operations are declared “done for now,” leadership responsibilities are just beginning. At a minimum, agencies should focus on the following priorities:
Immediate actions
- Withdraw and conduct thorough debriefs
- Study crowd behavior and deliberate resistance tactics
- Analyze what worked and what did not
- Develop effective counter-tactics
Strategic application
- Apply lessons learned to future operations
- Prioritize operations in jurisdictions requesting assistance
- Document outcomes where cooperation exists
ICE should prioritize operations in jurisdictions requesting assistance and continue to document outcomes where cooperation exists. After achieving observable success in these locations, watch the operational climate — and potentially leadership dynamics — begin to change in currently unwelcoming environments.
ICE should also immediately begin aggressive training for their agents as if training were their highest operational priority. The current operational environment demands it. That training should include:
Crowd and team operations
- Crowd control team tactics trained until performance is automatic
- Team arrest skills practiced repeatedly under stress
- Caravan movement, mounting and dismounting
Force options and decision-making
- De-escalation skills
- Less-lethal and intermediate force options
- Baton and shield skills
- Deadly force decision-making
Planning and control
- Perimeter establishment
- Operational planning and counter-strategy development capabilities
By training extensively and applying these skills repeatedly, ICE personnel can become clear examples of professionalism under pressure. From this moment forward, ICE has an opportunity to set the standard while the entire law enforcement profession is watching.
Conclusion
The events in Minneapolis present law enforcement with a difficult and highly visible challenge. History shows that challenges like these are overcome through preparation, disciplined leadership and relentless training. As agencies move forward, officers should debrief honestly, study what occurred, train relentlessly and prepare not just to succeed — but to shine. When law enforcement does that, the profession earns trust and sets the standard — even when the entire world is watching.
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