Bruce Walter Lindberg

Bruce was born in Minneapolis on April 17th, 1928 to Walter and Aldis. He was the first of four,

followed by Jack, Marilyn, and Gary. After graduating from South High School, he enlisted in the

Marine Corps where he served as an engine mechanic on Vought F4U Corsair fighters. After

discharge he attended the University of Minnesota majoring in Wildlife Management. In July of

1950 he married Ruth Cannon. Ten years later, in July 1960 they had a son, John.

He followed in his father Walter’s footsteps and joined the Minneapolis Police Department on

January 1, 1951, where he was assigned to the Morals Squad to investigate gambling,

prostitution and narcotics. He was promoted to Detective and organized the first Intelligence

Unit. He was awarded the Department’s highest commendation for the capture of an armed

robber during a shootout. He was then promoted to Detective Supervisor and then to Captain.

Bruce organized the Community Relations Division and served as its head for seven years,

establishing programs to promote better citizen-police cooperation and understanding. These

programs included Precinct Advisory Council, Little City Halls, Ride along, Community Service

Officer, Junior Police Officer, Women's Self Defense, Speaker Bureau and Chaplain Corps to

name a few. He was elected as Vice President of the National Association of Police Community

Relations. He was on the board of directors or advisory board of twenty-seven local

organizations to gain public support. For his work he was inducted into the National Police Hall

of Fame. He also taught Police Community Relations at Mankato State for eleven years and

Sociology of the Police at Antioch for three years. He served as commander of the Model Cities

precinct, where he developed a scientific police patrol technique to be expanded city-wide.

After two of his officers were shot, he worked with local business leaders to raise money to buy

bullet-proof vests for every officer in the ·department. He was appointed Director of Internal

Affairs to investigate all allegations against police employees. As Commander of Support

Services Division he wrote the manual on disciplinary procedures, designed a job reclassification

plan, completed study of civilianized operation, and rectified the practice underlying sex

discrimination suits.

Bruce was appointed Deputy Chief to administer all police managerial and staff operations. He

prepared the department budget, designed a reclassification plan for non-sworn personnel,

proposed a career development plan for all special divisions, computerized the fingerprint

program, computer aided dispatching, integrated criminal apprehension program, video

program to meet P.O.S.T. requirements, established training requirements, planned space

requirements, and combined personnel functions into one unit. He reinforced and expanded

the Community Relations division, coordinated services of safety programs for the elderly,

planned stress identification and reduction programs, and promoted and directed Management

by Objective program. He was elected to two terms as President of the Police Federation,

where he negotiated contracts, disciplinary actions and terms and conditions of employment.

At his retirement dinner on May 14th, 1988 he was the recipient of a letter from President

Reagan, Senators Boschwitz and Durenburger, Attorney General Skip Humphrey and numerous

legislators and associates. The Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution in his honor as did

the Hennepin County Commissioners who declared May 14 as Bruce Lindberg day. After his

retirement from the Minneapolis Police Department, the State of Minnesota hired him as a

special investigator to look into allegations of racial and sexual harassment.

Bruce enjoyed hunting, fishing and shooting. He won the State Police Pistol championship in

1956 and was regularly “top gun” during police shooting qualification. Bruce enjoyed a long

retirement pursuing his love of the outdoors and traveling with Ruth, his wife of 70 years.

He was preceded in death by his grandson, Alex; brother, Jack; and sister, Marilyn.

Bruce will be missed by his loving wife of 71 years, Ruth; son, John (Linda); grandsons, Mike (Bonnie), Andy, and Sam; great-grandchildren, Miles and Maci; brother, Gary; and other family and friends.

Memorial Service will be Tuesday, June 22, 2021 at 2pm with visitation one hour prior at Sunset Chapel, 2250 St. Anthony Blvd NE, Minneapolis. Interment at Sunset Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to Minneapolis Police Federation Charities.