Police training fund will not be named after Philando Castile, after all

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - The Police Officer Training Assistance Fund will not be named after Philando Castile, following a vote on the proposal Thursday.

Governor Dayton originally recommended the measure, though stating after the fact that he "always knew the decision was the POST Board's to make."

In lieu of the name change, the Training Assistance Fund will be called exactly that--the Training Assistance Fund.

Community members were not happy with the vote--including Castile's mother, Valerie, who attended the meeting Thursday.

"Because where I come from, if my boss recommended something to me and I didn't do it I'd get fired," she said. "So that just shows you how they go about handling their business."

Many also said the decision had the potential to bridge the gap between police and the community.

The Police Union President Bob Kroll, however, pointed out that the fund has never taken on the name of a person--including any of the 243 Minnesota officers who have died in the line of duty.

"It's never happened for any of them, many of whom died heroically," he said. "This is the wrong decision to go down this path. This stems from irresponsible statements made by our governor early on."

Also causing concern was a perception that not enough notification was sent out in advance of the board's vote, though members insist they handled this meeting just like any other.