Former Minneapolis Police Chief Tony Bouza dies at age 94
MINNEAPOLIS -- The former head of the Minneapolis Police Department in the 1980s has died, as confirmed by current MPD chief Brian O'Hara.
Tony Bouza, who was the police chief from 1980 to 1989, died at 94 years old.
Bouza was born in Spain and moved to New York City with his family before the age of 10. He worked his way up the ranks of the city's police department before moving to Minneapolis. He was sworn in on Feb. 12, 1980.
"We are saddened to learn of former MPD Chief Tony Bouza's passing this morning. For 9 years, Chief Bouza ably led this department with a focus on improving its efficiency and the quality and character of its ranks. I felt a special kinship with him as he too was an outsider brought here from the New York City area to reform the department," O'Hara said in a statement Monday. "I had the honor of spending time with him after I became Chief, and I'll remember him as being full of life -- much as I'm sure he was when he walked these halls and sat behind the very desk I'm writing from now. I offer my deepest condolences -- along with those of the entirety of the MPD -- to Erica, his sons, and their families."