The Minnesota former cop charged with the death of George Floyd is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Derek Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department after footage of him kneeling on the neck of the handcuffed black man went viral. Floyd died after the incident, and Chauvin has since been charged with second-degree murder.
According to personnel records obtained from the MPD by the New York Times, Chauvin is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. He served with the military police.
Chauvin was enlisted in the Army Reserve from February 1996 to February 2004, Stars and Stripes reported. During his service, he received the Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal with M device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-W Bar.
Chauvin listed his service with the Army Reserve on his application to become a police officer with the MPD.
Protests continue across the country after authorities charged Chauvin and, more recently, the three other police officers present at the time of Floyd's death. In response to the "civil unrest," 32,400 National Guard troops have been activated in 32 states. Between these troops and the 38,000 still activated in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, a historic number of Guard troops are currently working in domestic operations capacities.
75,000 National Guardsmen called up for domestic operations, COVID-19 and 'civil unrest'
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