Synthetic pot crackdown poised to become law

Posted at 4:44 PM on April 3, 2012 by Dan Kraker (0 Comments)
Filed under: Arrowhead, Government, Law enforcement

Duluth police and business and political leaders call the city "Ground Zero" in the statewide fight against synthetic marijuana. That's largely because of one man, Jim Carlson, who says he has made millions of dollars selling "spice" out of his downtown headshop, Last Place on Earth.

Last Place on Earth owner Jim Carlson stands in front of a display of synthetic marijuana products he sells from his downtown Duluth store.

But a bill that has now cleared both the Minnesota House and Senate could shut down that portion of Carlson's business. The bill would strengthen an existing law passed last year that tried to crack down on the sale of synthetics. This law would slap more severe penalties on their sale and empower the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy to quickly add new drugs to the list of illegal compounds.

The idea, according to one of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Roger Reinert, DFL-Duluth, is to keep one step ahead of "home chemists," who would slightly alter the composition of synthetic drugs to evade the law. "Instead of having to inscribe into law every single analog or derivation that might come," explained Reinert, "the state board is able to say, 'that's just a variation of something that we have deemed illegal in state law, therefore it falls under that same umbrella category.'"

Jim Carlson, for his part, says he's "definitely going to go after" the new law, which is modeled after similar legislation passed in Kansas. "The reason it's stuck in other states," Carlson said, "is because nobody's challenged it."

Carlson fought a Duluth law trying to ban the sale of synthetic drugs, and also challenged the bill passed last year by the state legislature. Duluth police raided his shop last September, but have yet to press charges. This new law, if passed, would make selling sythetic drugs a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Sen. Reinert said he believes Governor Dayton could sign the bill by the end of the week.

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County attorney says fed's gang bust won't fix problem

Posted at 11:04 AM on February 13, 2012 by Conrad Wilson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Law enforcement, Tribal issues

At least one county attorney is concerned that a mass bust of alleged gang members will amount to a short lived victory.

In a statewide bust last month, federal authorities charged 24 people said to belong to a gang called the "Native Mob." Charges included attempted murder, drug trafficking and racketeering.

Arrests were made in the Twin Cities as well as on the Leech Lake, White Earth and the Mille Lacs Indian reservations.

"The indictment that was unsealed ... I think is a pretty important indicator as to the efforts we are taking in Minnesota at all levels to enhance public safety," U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones said at the time of the arrests.

But Mille Lacs County Attorney Jan Jude, whose office assisted in the investigation, has doubts about how big a dent law enforcement put in the gang problem.

"Certainly a big bust like that should have an impact," she said. "I don't have a lot of faith that it's going to have a long-term impact. I think that there are people that are going to fill those shoes very quickly."

Jude said serious felonies have quadrupled since 2007 on the tribal land in Mille Lacs County, resulting in hundreds of cases. She said most of the repeat offenders her office prosecutes also come from the reservation.

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Foley private security deal on hold

Posted at 5:58 PM on January 5, 2012 by Minnesota Public Radio (1 Comments)
Filed under: Government, Law enforcement

By Conrad Wilson, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Cloud, Minn. - A plan to use a private security contractor to police a central Minnesota town is on hold.

Last month the city of Foley approved a contract with General Security Services Corporation to police city streets. The approval came after the city and the Benton County Sheriff could not reach a deal for the county to continue providing patrols.

The private security company was supposed to start patrolling on Jan. 1t. But a series of letters between the Peace Officers Standards Training Board and General Security Services Corporation, shows the private security company did not sign the contract with the city.

The POST Board, the state agency that licenses law enforcement officers in the state, wanted to ensure GSSC personnel would not act in the same capacity as certified peace officers, such as police, sheriffs and State Patrol.

Neil Melton, executive director of the POST Board, said his agency reviewed the copy of the contract between GSSC and the city of Foley.

"We took the contract and we laid it side-by-side with state statutes and there were some issues that came up that caused us some concern," Melton said. "The roles and responsibilities of the security officers versus those roles and responsibilities reserved ... licensed peace officers."

The POST Board came up with 54 questions they wanted answered, including: How would GSSC engage in crowd control? Or will the company allow its employees to carry firearms while on duty for the city?

Melton says his agency has no jurisdiction over a private company, but was ensuring the company did not eclipse the duties of law enforcement.

"Was it going to be a duty of unauthorized practice?" Melton said. "Were these people going to be (performing) duties reserved for peace officers?"

GSSC declined a Dec. 29 meeting to discuss the matter with the POST Board, Melton said.

General Security Services Corp. president Bill Leoni declined to comment.

A letter dated Dec. 29, 2011 from the POST Board to GSSC quotes the company as saying, "GSSC has not actually entered into a contract with the City of Foley, nor does GSSC currently intend to enter into a contract to perform such services with the City of Foley unless and until the concerns raised by the [POST Complaint] Committee have been resolved satisfactorily."

Foley Mayor Gary Gruba says the city did its legal research and believes the private security company is still the city's best option, given the city's tight budget.

He blames Attorney General Lori Swanson for getting involved. In October, Swanson sent letters to the Benton County Sheriff's office and Foley officials raising legal questions about turning over patrol duties to a private contractor and offering to mediate between the two organizations.

"It's a political move on the AG's part in my opinion; and a very poor move when you want to do that at the last minute," he says. "I believe they did it because they knew it was going to work well within the city of Foley. They knew it would be a great thing for the community, not only in patrol but in saving money, and when that happens and it works here, it's going to work everywhere else and they were afraid of that."

Foley researched the idea of contracting a private security firm to take over the job of the Benton County Sheriff's Department about six months ago. According to the city, the contract with GSSC would have saved the city about $70,000, from what it paid in 2011 for law enforcement services.

The security company's five officers planned to provide patrols around the clock, but lacking the same abilities as law enforcement officers, such as ticketing drivers for speeding or other moving violations. Instead, the private security contractors would have enforced city ordinances like parking tickets and noise complaints.

Benton County Sheriff's Department would have still responded to 911 calls, the city of Foley said.

The city is now considering options, Gruba said, but aside from emergencies, is currently without a law enforcement agency.

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Bemidji has new police chief

Posted at 4:01 PM on December 1, 2011 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN, Law enforcement, Northwest Minnesota

Bemidji has a new police chief. Mike Mastin, 36, replaces former chief Gerald Johnson, who retired in September after 32 years with the department.

Mastin, who's been with the Bemidji Police Department for a decade, was sworn into the top spot on Thursday. He's been serving as interim chief since Johnson's retirement.

Mastin tells The Bemidji Pioneer he's been listening to officers and staff about ways to improve the department. He says a string of recent retirements have left a very "youthful" department.

Mastin says he's open to integrating more new technology into the department. He also wants to see more community based policing, and he says he'll encourage officers to become more involved in the community.

Mastin is originally from Detroit Lakes. He has a degree in criminal justice from Bemidji State University.

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Blizzard app aims to help drivers survive storms

Posted at 11:16 AM on November 29, 2011 by Dan Gunderson (4 Comments)
Filed under: Law enforcement, Roads, Snow, Technology, Weather

MPR file photo

North Dakota State University extension is offering a mobile app for drivers who get stranded in a winter storm.

The Winter Survival Kit app is designed to determine your exact location, notify law enforcement, calculate how long your car will run on the gas in your tank, and alert you when it's time to clear the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

The app was created by Myriad Devices, a company based in the NDSU Research and Technology Park incubator in Fargo with funding from the USDA.

The Winter Survival Kit app also has tips on what to pack for winter survival gear and advice on winter driving skills. But does the app tell you when to stay off the road?

NDSU says the app is available free for Android and Apple devices.

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Rochester landlords must learn about safety

Posted at 3:04 PM on October 14, 2011 by Elizabeth Baier (1 Comments)
Filed under: Government, Law enforcement, Southeast Minnesota

Rochester landlords have until Oct. 31 to comply with a new city law that requires them to attend a public safety and crime training seminar.

Earlier this year, the Rochester City Council passed a controversial ordinance that requires rental property owners to take a day-long class to specialize in tenant/landlord issues, including leases, evictions, building and safety, gangs and street crime.

The next safety seminar will be held tomorrow. Landowners also have the option to complete a take-home DVD seminar and test.

If they fail to attend the class or take the test, rental property owners will lose their rental certificate and will not be able to rent their properties until they comply with the requirement, according to Darrel Hildebrandt, a crime prevention specialist with the Rochester Police Department.

Hildebrandt said many of the city's roughly 1,000 landowners have expressed apprehension and doubt before complying with the requirement, but walk away from the training with useful information.

"I think it's an eye-opener for a lot of people," he said. "A lot of people are still stuck in the 60s and 70s-style of renting and we're getting a lot of problem tenants coming in from out of state and out of city."

Hildebrandt said the police department wants to encourage landowners to do the criminal background checks on prospective tenants, including national checks.

"We have a lot of [tenants] coming in from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and they're bringing in all of their baggage with them," Hildebrandt said.

To register for the class, call Hildebrandt at 507-328-6890 or email him at dhildebrandt@rochestermn.gov. DVDs are also available to check for a two-week period from the Rochester Building Safety office.

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Despite state warning, anglers fish without license

Posted at 2:35 PM on July 14, 2011 by Tom Robertson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Government, Law enforcement, Northwest Minnesota, Outdoors

MPR File Photo

As news broke in St. Paul today around a potential end to the government shutdown stalemate, anglers enjoyed a day on Lake Bemidji, and some were fishing without a license.

The state Department of Natural Resources made clear Wednesday that its officers would not cut anglers any slack for not having a valid fishing license, even though the shutdown made it impossible to buy one.

But out-of-state visitors I spoke with at a public boat landing on Lake Bemidji are determined to fish -- with or without a license.

"I'd hoped that the shutdown would have been over so I could have purchased my license online before I came here for vacation," said one man, from Madison, Wis.

The man didn't want to give his name because he knew he was breaking the law by fishing without a license.

"I guess I'll take my chances," he said. "I came 500 miles to get here, so I'll get the license as soon as they're able to sell me one. For now, I'll go ahead and fish."

I talked to other groups of anglers -- from Iowa and Indiana -- who said they had their licenses, but would have fished without one if they had to.

It's still unclear just how hard local DNR officers are working to check for valid fishing licenses. With the department's statewide staffing levels down to just over 200 because of the shutdown, the officers are likely stretched pretty thin.

None of the folks I talked with had run into DNR conservation officers on Lake Bemidji or any of the other lakes they'd visited this week.

One Ely-based outfitter told MPR News this morning that he hadn't run across anyone who'd been tagged for fishing without a license. Earlier this week, the Crow Wing county attorney said his office had not seen any license violation citations referred by the conservation officers since the shutdown began July 1.

Perhaps the conservation officers have their hands full without worrying about whether a family from Iowa purchases a fishing license. They've been charged with keeping an eye on Minnesota's shuttered state parks and are doing their best to make sure boaters are checking their boats for invasive species.

One Bemidji area conservation officer told me he's been running ragged since the start of the shutdown. Like everyone else, he is anxious for leaders in St. Paul to solve the two-week old budget impasse.

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Jackson may end city police department

Posted at 2:04 PM on June 9, 2011 by Mark Steil (0 Comments)
Filed under: Government, Law enforcement

The debate about whether small towns and cities should give up their local police department for county law enforcent is being sharpened by budget cutting issues. The Worthington Daily Globe, is following the debate in the city of Jackson, where the city council wants to disband the Jackson Police Department.

A group of citizens in the southwest Minnesota city of about 3,400 people have started a petition drive to voice their opposition to the idea.

"Nobody else was doing anything," Dave Schmidt told the newspaper. "I don't know what good it will do, but we have to try."

The city says it can save about $100,000 a year by signing a contract with Jackson County for law enforcement coverage.

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Crime worries Rochester residents, despite facts

Posted at 12:02 PM on January 31, 2011 by Elizabeth Baier (3 Comments)
Filed under: Law enforcement, Southeast Minnesota

(Photo courtesy of the Post-Bulletin)

Crime is a hot topic in Rochester these days, even though the city's crime rate has dropped in the past decade. While the population is up 21 percent, most individual crime reporting categories have remained virtually static. But city and police officials say the perception of crime in Rochester is actually getting worse.

Much of that has to do with much-publicized violent crime. In 2009, 24 of the 142 assaults in Rochester involved someone pulling a trigger. The record number of shootings killed one person and injured 23.

Today on the MPR News program All Things Considered, we'll address how people in Rochester feel about crime and explore how that compares with official statistics.

On Tuesday, MPR News and the Post-Bulletin will host a community meeting in Rochester on crime and the perception of crime in the community.

The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. at the Mayo Civic Center's Grand Ballroom.

Community leaders, law enforcement and criminal justice officials and residents will join us for the conversation.

Residents like Todd Hager are concerned about how the community has changed since the record number of shootings a couple years ago.

Like other residents, Hager wants outsiders to know that overall, Rochester remains a very safe city -- one consistently ranked among the best places to live in the United States.

But he laments that the graffiti, drugs and gangs present in Rochester are quickly transforming their way of life.

"Sometimes I think I have a very big gap between reality and my perception," Hager said. "I perceive a greater danger than there probably really is."

Rochester and Olmsted County have changed significantly since 2000. The city grew by 21 percent in the last decade to 103,000 residents. Rochester also is much more racially and ethnically diverse.

Demographic estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that 10.4 percent of Olmsted County residents do not speak English as their primary language at home. That's up six percent since 2000. Olmsted County is among the eight most diverse counties in the state.

Police records show Rochester's overall crime rate has gone down for 15 years. In fact, violent crime alone declined 7 percent during the first seven months of 2010.

Police Chief Roger Peterson said when people think about crime in Rochester, two factors play a major role: growth and race.

"We're not going to be a small town any more and we're never going to be an all-white town anymore like we were 35 years ago," he said.

But while the overall number of crimes has held steady, the city's increasing population and racial diversity have changed how people perceive crime. And for some Rochester residents, the numbers aren't nearly as important how they feel.

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Lack of funding shutters Fargo DNA lab

Posted at 2:16 PM on January 27, 2011 by Dan Gunderson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Government, Law enforcement

Photo courtesy NDSU

The failure of Congress to pass an omnibus spending bill late last year is forcing a DNA lab in Fargo to shut down. The lab is one of many across the nation working to reduce a backlog of DNA for criminal investigations.

The forensic DNA lab at North Dakota State University in Fargo was designated a Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction Project lab by the Justice Department in 2009. The facility was to help process DNA cases for federal investigators in nine Midwest states.

The lab closes it's doors Friday. Director Berch Henry declined comment other than to say he's relocating to take another job. Henry says he hopes to return if funding for the Fargo lab is restored.

Built with a $3.5 million dollar federal grant in 2006, the facility earned national and international accreditation as a forensic lab.

Dr. Philip Boudjouk Vice President for Research, Creative Activities and Technology Transfer at NDSU says the lab was dependent on Department of Justice funding for operations. Boudjouk says he's still hopeful Congress will come through with funding to restart the lab later this year.

But Boudjouk says NDSU is also actively pursuing a private sector partnership to help fund the lab operations.

The Department of Justice did not respond to an inquiry about funding for DNA backlog labs.

Federal agencies have a backlog of thousands of DNA cases as the increasing demand for DNA to solve crimes overwhelms the capacity of laboratories. The DNA case backlog is a common problem for many states as well.

The state of Minnesota has a growing backlog of Forensic DNA cases, but according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the state handles all it's cases in state labs so it would not be affected by the closing of the Fargo DNA lab.

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