Crime coordination council creation

Most law enforcement officers are professional in their duties, but the troubles of the Metro Gang Strike Task Force gave a black eye to criminal enforcement teams.

Rep. Michael Paymar (DFL-St. Paul) wants to make sure what happened with that unit doesn’t happen again.

He sponsors HF2965 to create a 17-member Violent Crime Coordinating Council to provide certification requirements for multijurisdictional violent crime enforcement teams, and guidance in investigating and prosecuting gang and drug crimes. Approved March 23 by the House Public Safety Finance Division, the bill awaits action by the House Finance Committee.

A companion, SF2725, sponsored by Sen. Mee Moua (DFL-St. Paul), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.

A big change would be authority given the public safety commissioner.

When the commissioner became aware of the gang strike force problem all he could do was shut off funding, but the force’s advisory board continues to exist. It would be dissolved, under the bill.

“The commissioner, under this bill, would have to certify the multijurisdictional entities and their designated fiscal agent,” Paymar said. “This way if it is determined there were any problems going on with these gang strike forces the commissioner could close them down.”

Two reports from last summer indicated that 10 or 12 gang strike force officers may have illegally taken cash or property from people with no gang connections. The reports indicate that cash was missing from strike force storage areas and some property was allegedly taken for personal use by officers.

“We had a situation where the commander, the advisory board and the fiscal agent all seemed to not hold the officers accountable, and we had a period of time where you essentially had a rogue law enforcement entity that really was a black mark on law enforcement. This bill hopes to correct some of those problems,” Paymar said.

Melvin W. Carter, a retired St. Paul police officer, knows much needs to be done. “The main tool that law enforcement has above all is trust in the community. … We’ve got a lot of credibility to rebuild.”