Amanpour and Company

I WENT TO MINNEAPOLIS BECAUSE AT THE TIME THERE WAS A WOMAN CHIEF, CHIEF HARTEAU. SHE WAS HELL BENT AND SAW RECRUITING WOMEN AS PART OF THAT REFORM. IT WAS A GOOD PLACE TO EXPLORE THE PLACE OF WOMEN AND SHE WANTED THE FILM AND GAVE ME TREMENDOUS ACCESS. THAT'S HOW I WOUND UP IN MINNEAPOLIS, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS IMAGINING THE STORY WOULD END WITH THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD. >> OBVIOUSLY WE'LL GET TO THAT, BUT LET ME ASK YOU, C.J. JOHNSON, WAS COMMISSIONER HARTEAU, WAS SHE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PROMOTION? WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING IN THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER ITS FIRST FEMALE AND FIRST OPENLY GAY POLICE COMMISSIONER? >> YEAH, I THINK THAT THE CHIEF WAS INSTRUMENTAL NOT JUST IN OBVIOUSLY SHE PROMOTED ME TO THE POSITION THAT I HELD WHEN I LEFT, WHICH WAS THE INSPECTOR OF THE THIRD PRECINCT, BUT WAS A MENTOR TO ME WHEN I WAS A SERGEANT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND SO I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING ME DEVELOP THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO HELP LEAD. >> SO YOU WERE THERE FOR 22 YEARS. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GENERALIZE, BUT PART OF WHAT THIS FILM SHOWS IS THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN POLICING, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE GENDERS AND THAT FEMALE OFFICERS WERE THE SUBJECT OF FEWER CITIZENS' COMPLAINTS AND ARE LESS LIKELY TO USE FORCE. C.J. JOHNSON, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE PREMISE? AND IF SO, WHY? >> WELL, I THINK WOMEN JUST IN GENERAL, YOU HEAR MELISSA TALK ABOUT IT, THE CHIEF TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT IN THAT THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IF WE HAVE TO GET INTO A PHYSICAL FIGHT JUST BASED ON I'M NOT GOING WIN A PHYSICAL FIGHT WITH A GUY WHO IS 6'2" AND A BODY BUILDER. I MEAN IT'S JUST NOT -- I'M NOT GOING TO WIN. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE AS WOMEN WE'RE FORCED TO USE OUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS. AND I THINK WE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THAT AS THE WAY IN WHICH WE POLICE, THAT COMMUNICATION BECOMES THE PRIMARY SKILL SET UPON WHICH WE RELY. AND I THINK THAT DOES CHANGE THE WAY WE APPROACH THINGS. I THINK WE OFTENTIMES TEND TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN TAKING OUR TIME WITH A CALL AND NOT HAVING TO GET TO A RESOLUTION RIGHT NOW. AND GIVING OURSELVES THE TIME TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE INTERACTING WITH.