Video Shows Somali Officers In Minnesota Pledging To Serve “Our Own People” In Non-English Remarks
A video posted on X shows Somali-American police officers in Minnesota addressing community members in Somali, not English, during what appeared to be an outreach event. The clip was shared by user CheckMate (@Checkmatedsl) on November 22, 2025 and received over a million views.
In the recording, the officers speak only Somali. “We came to this country as refugees. Now that we are employed, we work for our own people,” an officer says, according to a caption distributed with the post. [Somalians].” Another officer adds: “Whether at home or here, Somali officers serve you. “We know your language, your culture, and we stand by our people day and night.”
Frame of the video — officers I don’t speak English and has raised concerns about whether such statements, which appeared to promise service to Somali residents in particular, were compatible with the expectation that the police would provide impartial service to the entire population.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali diaspora in the United States, with estimates of its residents numbering between 70,000 and more than 80,000. concentrated Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.
Somali American officers make up a small but visible portion of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The agency has recruited heavily from the Somali community, including hiring its first Somali American. Woman civil servant Ikran Mohamed in 2024.
Somali-speaking officers can help overcome language barriers in certain neighborhoods, police officials said. However, newly surfaced video featuring police officers speaking exclusively in Somali and pledging to serve Somali residents specifically has renewed scrutiny over whether such messages risk creating perceptions of favoritism, divided loyalties or blurred lines between cultural support and the oath of public office.
Broader context includes end times argument It involves MPD’s relationship with Somali youth. Earlier this year, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara He apologized for his comments linking “East African children” to crime.
The department seen in the video has not released a statement explaining where the outreach event took place, whether translations circulating online are accurate, or whether the officers’ statements reflect department policy.
As the footage spread widely and raised questions about impartial policing, many Minnesotans are demanding clarification from the department and clearer expectations for officers involved in community-specific social services.
