Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo took the witness stand for the state today in the Derek Chauvin trial. Chief Arradondo gave an overview of his career and experience with the MPD. And he addressed the standard of the department’s professional policing policy saying “our Minneapolis police department professional policing is really about treating people with dignity and respect, above all else, at the highest level.” Arradondo was asked by the prosecution about MPD policy as it relates to detaining a suspect. Arradondo read the policy that it is the responsibility of an officer to “ensure that the length of any detention is no longer than necessary to take appropriate action for the known or suspected offense.” Arradondo also testified about de-escalation and use of force policies in general with the MPD. Arradondo said officers receive “a lot” of training adding that training “is vitally essential to us as a department.” The state is arguing that Derek Chauvin used deadly force in his detention of George Floyd. The defense contends Chauvin’s actions were appropriate for the situation, and that drug use and pre-existing health conditions may have caused Floyd’s death. Arradondo also testified that even though bystanders recording video of officers during an incident may be annoying “individuals under their 1st amendment rights, they have the absolute 1st amendment right to record through cell phone video or other types of video officers interacting or engaging with a community member with the exception that they cannot obstruct the activity of the officers.” The defense is making the argument that bystanders yelling at and recording police may have impacted the officers’ actions at the scene outside Cup Foods when George Floyd died. Prior to Chief Arradondo’s testimony, Dr. Bradford Langenfeld testified. He is the doctor who pronounced George Floyd dead at the hospital on May 25th, 2020. Dr. Langenfeld testified that he did not believe CPR had been administered to Floyd prior to when the paramedics arrived on scene outside of Cup Foods. The state asked why that might be significant and Langenfeld responded, “it is in the sense that it informs the likelihood of survival…and what do you mean by that Dr. Langenfield? It’s well known that any amount of time that a patient spends in cardiac arrest without immediate CPR markedly decreases the chance of a good outcome.” Dr. Langenfled testified it appears that Floyd died as a result of oxygen deficiency resulting in asphyxia. The defense on cross-examination asked, “there are many things that cause hypoxia that would still be considered asphyxiation…certain drugs can cause hypoxia…specifically fentanyl…methamphetamine?” Dr. Langenfeld responded that was correct.