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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 12:01 pm
Time: 12:01 pm
Results for police misconduct (minnesota)
1 results foundAuthor: Luger, Andrew Title: Report of the Metro Gang Strike Force Review Panel Summary: The Metro Gang Strike Force was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 2005. The Mission of the Strike Force is restated a number of times, and is summarized in the "Joint Powers Agreement Creating the Metro Gang Strike Force" as follows: The Metro Gang Strike Force (hereinafter "MGSF") is hereby established by the Parties to coordinate efforts to prevent gang activity; and investigate, apprehend and prosecute those individuals engaged in such crimes which could be defined as gang related or crimes committed for the benefit of a gang. Prior to its formation in 2005, the Strike Force was part of the Minnesota Gang Strike Force. In 2003, the Minnesota Gang Strike Force lost much of its funding from the state legislature. At that time, the Minnesota Gang Strike Force relied on a variety of sources for funding, including forfeitures. Officers familiar with the Minnesota and Metro Gang Strike Forces told the Panel that many who worked at the two Strike Forces developed a "depression era" mentality about funding that included constant concern that the entities would not survive financially. According to the people who spoke with us about this topic, the concern about the ability to fund the Strike Forces' operations most likely led to the increased focus on forfeitures as a revenue source. In the dialogue that follows the issuance of this Report, it is our hope that the good work of the "first" Strike Force is not lost on the public and policy makers. Despite the egregious conduct of some, the Strike Force made positive contributions in a number of ways. As policy makers consider the needs of law enforcement in fighting gangs going forward, they must take into account the need for these types of positive efforts. As to the contributions of the Strike Force, our review indicates that: • Many Strike Force officers worked hard to develop gang-related intelligence that led to important investigations and prosecutions. In support of this work, Strike Force officers coordinated activities with other state, local and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors and contributed to successful gang prosecutions. In addition, Strike Force officers coordinated the sharing of gang-related information among a variety of law enforcement bodies and often assisted local police forces through the dissemination of important information. • Strike Force officers cooperated with investigations outside of the metro area when called upon by other jurisdictions and lent their knowledge and expertise to the efforts of others. • Strike Force officers, most notably the Commander, willingly gave their time to outreach efforts with schools, non-profits and others to describe efforts and techniques useful to prevent the spread of gangs. At the same time, these constructive and laudable efforts cannot mask the stain created by the highly questionable conduct described in this Report, the conduct of that "second" Strike Force. As we reviewed documents, members of the Panel were struck by how many cases had no connection to any gang activity and could not be reconciled with the mission of the Strike Force. The Strike Force's mission does not support the creation of roving "saturation" details that stop people for traffic violations or seize the funds of an undocumented alien who has committed no other offense. Yet this is what we found, many times over. The mission of the Strike Force does not contemplate officers seizing large quantities of personal items during the execution of search warrants without any effort to tie these items to criminal activity. Yet this was a regular occurrence. And the mission of the Strike Force does not authorize officers to take seized items home or purchase these items for their own personal use. But this is what happened, time and again. The state inquiry into the disbanded Strike Force uncovered "substantial evidence of misconduct" that went well beyond revelations previously reported by news media or uncovered in earlier government investigations. The panel's report, issued Thursday, said that Strike Force employees repeatedly took home seized property for personal use and that many of the seizures themselves were improper. Details: Minnesota: Metro Gang Strike Force Review Panel, 2009. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2011 at: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2009/08/20090820_gangstrikeforce.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2009/08/20090820_gangstrikeforce.pdf Shelf Number: 121086 Keywords: GangsPolice EthicsPolice Misconduct (Minnesota) |