MCP14 Fall Mag

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Montevideo’s Adam Christopher among the first to be CLEO Certified

A Hit in Minneapolis

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IN THIS ISSUE

Contents

IN THIS ISSUE

Fall 2014

5

President’s Perspective

Planning for the Future

7

Executive Director’s Message

9

Chaplain’s Message Your Best Year

What I Did This Summer

10 Regional Representative

Diversity in Law Enforcement

12 Legal Update

Beyond the Pale?

16 Department of Public Safety

ON THE COVER-PAGE 20 MCPA Unveils CLEO Certification

Forensic Scientists Visit Minnesota

23 Recruiting Top Candidates Finding the Right Officer

29 Law Enforcement in the Community Cops and Bobbers

Chief Adam Christopher of the Montevideo Police Department shares why he advocated for the MCPA’s groundbreaking CLEO Certification initiative.

32 Community Roundtable Project The Violent Crime Coordinating Council

34 CornerHouse

p. 20

FEATURES

17 CLEO CERTIFICATION Partnerships and Perseverance

What Can a Children’s Advocacy Center Do for Me?

36 Vendor Profile

AAA Minnesota/Iowa 37 Katie Poirier Memorial Scholarship Two Students Awarded Katie Poirier Memorial

Scholarship

38 Where Are They Now? Retired Chief Kel Keena

After three and a half years of brainstorming, the MCPA has reached a major goal of the 2011 Strategic Plan. Learn how partnerships contributed to the goal being realized.

By Rodney SeuRer, Chief of Police, Savage Police Department

25 The All Star Game The 2014 All Star Game…A Hit in Minneapolis The All Star Game was an exciting and memorable experience for all. In this article, Minneapolis Assistant Chief Matt Clark shares insights on how 25 metro law enforcement agencies came together to ensure a safe and fun event for the City of Minneapolis.

By Matt Clark, ASSISTANT CHIEF, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

30 SAFE HARBOR IN MINNESOTA Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Minnesota communities are dealing with sexual exploitation and trafficking and it’s hidden in plain sight. Learn how the new Safe Harbor law offers several different resources to law enforcement including training.

By Dave Pinto, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney

4

You’ve probably noticed already that this edition of Minnesota Police Chief looks a lot different.

Over the summer, the communications committee decided to modernize and simplify the magazine’s look and layout. The aim is for easier reading and a more professionalized appearance. We are also striving to improve the content, bringing you more relevant stories and timely information. For example in this issue, we’re highlighting MCPA’s new CLEO Certification program, best practices in hiring and increasing diversity in our ranks and amongst our recruits.

We hope you find the articles informative and are pleased with the updated layout. If you have any questions or comments about the new look, let us know. Email info@mnchiefs.org. minnESOTA police chief

President’s Perspective

Planning for the Future There have been a number of significant developments at the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) since our short summer ended, including a change on the MCPA board.

I was saddened to receive a resignation letter from former Grand Rapids Chief Jim Denny in August. Jim had worked diligently on many important policing issues in our state and was into his second year of service as the Association’s Sergeant at Arms. Thank you, Jim, for your hard work and dedication to our Association and profession. Our very best to you.

Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts expressed interest on several occasions in serving on the MPCA board of directors. Jeff co-chairs the Legislative Committee and has served on the MCPA Awards Committee the last four years. He’s assisted with various aspects of the CLEO and Command school and volunteered to participate in our recent strategic planning session. Jeff has served as chief since 2008 and had worked at the Bloomington Police Department prior to his appointment as chief. In August, the MPCA board of directors approved his appointment to replace Jim Denny as Sergeant at Arms. I believe Jeff will be a strong addition to the board.

Executive Director Andy Skoogman and I attended the first meeting of the Data Practices Committee in July. While I know the majority of our legislators support our efforts in preventing and solving crime, we need to take time to explain how and why we use technology. In many cases, other organizations define technology issues for lawmakers, for the media and for the

Chief Gordon Ramsay President Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association Duluth police department

Recently I have spent a lot more time on vision and planning for the future. public ahead of public safety groups. They diminish technology’s crime prevention uses and over dramatize its potential shortcomings. This puts law enforcement agencies on the defensive early in the legislative or policymaking process.

That’s why it’s also imperative we publicly vet and explain any new technology to our community members, lawmakers and local media. We must have thoughtful and well-crafted policies in place for technology prior to implementation. With increased personnel and operating costs we know technology is crucial for effective and efficient policing. It is imperative that chiefs build relationships with their legislators so our voice is heard.

Recently, I have spent more time on vision and planning for the future. I believe there are four key elements for successful policing over the next decade.

1. We Need the Right People

We need to better recruit and hire people with maturity, excellent communication skills, compassion, diverse life experience and background as well as a college education.

Additionally, we need people who desire to make our neighborhoods better. Not someone who sees their job as an occupying force, but a dedicated relationship builder who has a stake in our community’s success.

Fall 2014

5

President’s Perspective

2. We Need the Right Training Training of our officers continues to improve. Whether it is crisis intervention training for dealing with those who are mentally ill, de-escalation training or verbal skill enhancement, our officers have never been better trained. But we can improve. I recently heard of a study that found for every hour of extra in-service training an officer receives, their use of force incidents drops four percent. That is a good return on your investment. Police involved shootings and improper use of force garner the most attention from our community, so we will continue to train on innovative practices to ensure our officers are trained well above national standards. We will work with all those we serve to build understanding and support for those rare instances when, despite officers doing the right thing for the right reason, things go wrong.

3. We Need Technology Innovative technology will also help us reduce and prevent crime and limit the need for police to use force. While privacy advocates and I share the same concerns about big government watching our citizen’s activities, there are occasions where emerging technology will prevent a police officer, innocent people or even a dangerous suspect from getting hurt. Innovations are occurring rapidly, so we must begin talking about technology and policing now because technology is often developing faster than good policies can be established. Technology used in policing must be shared openly with the public and vetted properly so there is a clear and legal understanding of when and how the technology can be used to keep our communities safe.

4. Community Policing Needs Support

We must continue to embrace and build on community policing. My own career experience with community policing guides me today, because I know how well it works. Proper community policing requires putting the right people in the right places, and sufficient staffing, funding and training. When police build relationships with community members, community groups and our business community, we solve problems, reduce crime and improve our neighborhoods.

I want our officers to know the business owners, workers and residents on their beats. A serious use of force incident in our community recently showed strong trust and faith in our police department. This support and trust happened as a direct result of the relationships our officers have built with community members. This is what community policing is all about and it is what we will continue to build on in the years ahead.

Lastly, please feel free to contact me if you think there is anything the Association should be aware of or can be working on. I can be reached at 218-730-5020 or gramsay@duluthmn.gov

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minnESOTA police chief

Executive Director’s Message

What I Did This Summer: Helped Develop a Roadmap for the MCPA’s Future My kids are back in school after three months of sun, fun, camps and, of course, the typical chaos that comes with a houseful of girls.

While my daughters had their annual summer break from the classroom, I was taking a crash course in the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA).

Since accepting the Executive Director’s position in April, my objective was to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could.

I did this several ways but two really stand out.

First, I ate pizza in Glencoe and jail food in Stillwater. I quickly learned that the lunch menus at the Regional Rep meetings are as unique as the personalities…

In all seriousness, I want to thank the Regional Reps who fed me, introduced me to their chiefs and began to teach me about their regions. I really enjoy the windshield time and the chance to travel around the state. Although I hope you’ve noticed the recent enhancements to the look and content of the magazine in your hands or the weekly C-Notes in your in-box, including an Executive Director’s report, there’s no better way, in my opinion, to communicate than in-person.

As I’ve said since April, you’ll see me again at the Regional Rep meetings this fall and winter.

Second, we conducted a member survey in May that provided incredible insight into what you value about the association, what you don’t and what you want from the MCPA going forward. I was impressed and pleased by how many of you completed the survey and how candid you were with your comments. The complete survey results can be found in the “Members Only” section on our website at mnchiefs.org. Thank you for taking the time to share your honest opinions.

With the survey results, the MCPA Board and about a half dozen other chiefs from around Minnesota got together in June and developed a new strategic plan - a roadmap that provides the Association with important direction for the next 3 years.

Andy Skoogman executive director Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association

The plan is made up of six main goals 1. Enhancing leadership skills for all levels of the profession 2. Researching and recommending approval of bylaw changes in order to grow engagement and better represent the diversity of membership needs statewide 3. Expanding and improving the quality of police applicants, making policing better in Minnesota 4. Providing strong professional and personal support to CLEOs 5. Having a greater impact on legislation by establishing strong legislative connections 6. Enhancing the MCPA brand internally and externally

We put a great deal of thought into developing goals that were aligned with what you said you wanted and needed. We also put a lot of effort into developing a tactical action plan that lays out exactly what we need to do to accomplish each of the above goals.

Fall 2014

7

Executive Director’s Message

I won’t go into the nitty-gritty details of the tactical plan here (you can read it in the “Members Only” section of our website at mnchiefs.org), but I will say the plan includes key action items, timelines and metrics that will be used to track progress and ultimately measure results.

I think it’s important to stress that we won’t try to fix things that aren’t broken. The association is strong. In fact, nearly 90 percent of members who responded to the survey rated the MCPA’s value to them as either excellent or good.

What you will see us doing is improving the services that you say you value most, such as professional development, advocacy and information sharing. In fact, the Communications Committee took on the task of reworking the look and focus of the magazine to make it more readable with more relevant content. You’ll also see us addressing issues that you told us are making it difficult to do your job, like recruiting and retaining quality candidates.

Our objective is to increase the value of the association to all of you – whether you’re a leader of a small department in Greater Minnesota or a large agency in the Metro. And whether you’re new to your job or have been in the position for several years.

In the end, I know this won’t be an easy task. I’ve learned that already. But I wouldn’t have taken the job if I planned to shy away from the challenge.

I’ve also learned that I still have A LOT to learn. This so-called crash course has only just begun.

Maybe by next summer I can “vacation” a bit more with my kids. But anyone with three kids knows… that can be a lot more work than any job!

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Sample a demo of PATROL at www.nexportcampus.com/PATROL minnESOTA police chief

Chaplain’s Message

Your Best Year In August, my family got together to celebrate my Dad’s 90th birthday. Three generations of Carlsons sat together in my sister’s back yard eating burgers, brats, salads, chips and more. We started reminiscing about the past 90 years and all of the events that have changed the world and changed our lives. Then I asked my dad, “Out of the past 90 years, what was your best year?” Dad just chuckled and avoided the question, sharing a few thoughts about his past.

Since it was dad’s birthday, I didn’t push for an answer. He has lived a very full and active life, defined by two significant life events. The first was his three years as a United States Marine. He was a decorated, South Pacific combat veteran in World War II. The second was a 30-year career with the Minneapolis Fire Department as a firefighter and arson investigator. As I tried to figure out what his “best year” may have been, I can see why he didn’t have a quick answer. The sheer volume of years and life experiences was overwhelming.

I asked others at the party the same question. And most everyone responded with significant enthusiasm… that they had no intention of answering my question. The best I got was a few responses of individual life events - jobs, weddings, births, vacations (that was probably the biggest response) and other “memorable” events.

So I decided to give it a shot myself. I narrowed it down to my 40th year. 1996/1997. It was a year without any family marriages, births, deaths or job changes. But it was a year of one of my biggest and most memorable adventures. We took a family road trip that lasted six weeks, covered 8,000 miles and 28 states. The five of us lived in a 20-year-old, 13-foot, Scamp camper. I’ll spare you the details, but after reflecting on why number 40 sticks out as possibly my best year, “Scamp Across America” Dad at 20 years Dad at 90 years had three important components that saturated my entire year. It gave me something to hope, plan and prepare for; something challenging to engage and participate in; and something to remember, reflect on and learn from. Something to hope for, something to do, something to remember.

I don’t know if that formula will help you identify your best year, but I know that it will lead to some interesting conversations and reflections. I think it is an important exercise in our spiritual lives to take a closer look at ourselves. We can learn a lot about who we are when we think about our life experiences. How we decide which events are “good” and which are “bad” can be enlightening. When we look back on life, we gain perspectives that can only come with passing time. “Remembering” is an important part of learning and growing.

I can’t say that the questions I asked that day were the highlight of the event, but I know I did learn some things about myself and about my dad. By the end of the party, Dad still wouldn’t give me an answer to my question of naming his favorite year. So I asked, “Then give me your best day.” His answer was pretty quick, “My best day? Every day that I still wake up!” An oldie but a goodie and still priceless!

Fall 2014

PASTOR DAN CARLSON CHAPLAIN EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBER Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association

9

Regional Representative

Diversity in Law Enforcementfrom Dream to Reality

Chief Hugo McPhee first Vice President Minnesota Chiefs of police association Three Rivers Park District

10

Enhancing diversity within law enforcement has been a goal of mine for the better part of my career. In the past, I have borrowed or pilfered from others or created my own process nuances to enhance diversity all too varying degrees of success and failure.

It was after hearing Dr. Samuel Betances at the Executive Training Institute (ETI) a few years ago and chatting with him as we drove to the airport from St. Cloud, that I realized I needed to do more than simply create opportunities for diverse candidates to apply at my agency. If I wanted to create a truly robust applicant pool, and in turn, a robust pool of new hires and eventual promotees, I had to reach out and recruit people to inform them about the opportunities that awaited them working at my agency. This included creating on-going volunteer opportunities and paid internships for under-represented groups of applicants.

If we, as law enforcement leaders, value diversity in our ranks, which I presume we all do, we no longer have the luxury of just posting an opening in the local paper or on a favorite website.

We need to go where the current and future applicants are. This includes the middle and high schools, the community centers and the colleges to share our side of the story of why law enforcement is such a great career choice in general and why working at our agency would be great in particular. Job fairs at regional colleges can be effective messaging tools or participation in the Law Enforcement Opportunities (LEO) fair at Metro State University can be a good methodology to reach potential job applicants. Too often as law enforcement administrators we expect hires to come looking for us, when in reality we should be looking for them if we want the most and best qualified applicants to work for us and our communities.

Moreover, we need to partner with diverse communities throughout our day-to-day interactions, not just when we have a position opening or when a crime spree is occurring. We need to build trust with those to whom we provide law enforcement services. Every community has some measure of diversity and has opportunities to build rapport in diverse communities and eventually cultivate that applicant pool. The 12 or 13-year-old you have contact with who is out past curfew, could be a viable applicant 10 years down the road.

Subsequent conversations with fellow chiefs across the state at the Regional Rep meetings reaffirm that most of us would like to have or need to have better diversity representation within the ranks. However, often times the applicant pool does not contain diverse applicants, or even if the pool started with a good mix of diversity, the initial testing, screening or interviewing processes eventually culled many candidates (both white male as well as diversity candidates) from further consideration. Are the entry assessment screening tools helping us find the right – fit candidate for our agencies or are they simply screening tools that weed out applicants so you can reduce the field to a manageable number that can be interviewed? One tool that works in “Community A” may not work as well in “Community B or Community C.” I suggest a different approach. If, when you post for open officer positions, you are not getting a broad and diverse applicant pool, ask yourself why is it that diverse candidates are not applying to work at your agency or in your community? What is it about your agency or community that is unappealing for women or persons of color to work there? Is it simply that these candidates are

minnESOTA police chief

unaware that you have a position open and hence you need to broaden your advertising efforts, or is there a perception or stigma that your agency or community is not a good place to grow both personally with a family or professionally with a career?

A number of law enforcement agencies throughout the state are creating very innovative strategies to recruit a wide range of candidates for various position openings in their ranks. Some have innovative paid internships that target diverse applicants, some hire potential officers and send them off to a local college to acquire the core academic courses needed for licensure and others have far-reaching interactions with core communities.

The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association is working closely with a number of the larger police agencies in the state to determine if there exists a best practice currently in use for increasing diversity in hires and eventually promotions. Ideally, other agencies can emulate or use as a template some of these practices which may prove to be effective in communities across the state. Once these meetings have occurred over the next few months, I will share the results of these discussions in a future article.

Fall 2014

11

Legal Update

Beyond the Pale?

When Routine Performance Evaluations May Be reviewed by a Minnesota Administrative Law Judge

PETER ORPUT WASHINGTON COUNTY ATTORNEY PETER IVY Chief Deputy Carver County Attorney CO-COUNSEL MINNESOTA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION

On August 6, 2014, the Minnesota Supreme Court filed its opinion in Schwanke v.

Minnesota Department of Administration (A12-2062). In writing the opinion, Justice Stras held that an employee maintains the right under the MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT DATA PRACTICES ACT to challenge the accuracy and completeness of performance reviews before the Minnesota Department of Administration under MINN. STAT. § 13.04, subd. 4.

Importantly, Minnesota law enforcement command staff now needs to understand and anticipate that the employee’s right to contest “factual disputes” transcends, and is in addition to, those rights already afforded by the employee’s applicable collective bargaining agreements and/or personnel rules. This is new territory for law enforcement command staff.

Essential Facts of Schwanke Case:

Respondent Todd Schwanke, a sergeant with the Steele County Sheriff’s Office, filed an appeal with the Minnesota Department of Administration under the MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT DATA PRACTICES ACT, Minn. Stat. §§ 13.01-.90 (2012). The basis for this appeal was that Schwanke disagreed with his generally negative review in an annual performance rating completed by the Steele County Sheriff. In addition to contesting his actual performance rating, Schwanke’s appeal challenged the accuracy and completeness of the data in this performance evaluation using standardized criteria.

Largely in part because the Department of Administration was not qualified to change the actual subjective ratings, the Department summarily dismissed Schwanke’s appeal. However, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed and remanded, concluding that the Department exceeded its statutory authority by dismissing the appeal without ordering a contested case hearing on the data that Schwanke contested as inaccurate or incomplete.1 Employing tenets of basic statutory construction, the Minnesota Supreme Court essentially ruled that the MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT DATA PRACTICES Act says-what-it-says.

Minn. Stat. § 13.04, Subd. 4, Procedure when Data is not accurate or complete (a) An individual subject of the data may contest the accuracy or completeness of public or private data. To exercise this right, an individual shall notify in writing the responsible authority describing the nature of the disagreement. The responsible authority shall within 30 days either: (1) correct the data found to be inaccurate or incomplete and attempt to notify past recipients of inaccurate or incomplete data, including recipients named by the individual; or (2) notify the individual that the authority believes the data to be correct. Data in dispute shall be disclosed only if the individual’s statement of disagreement is included with the disclosed data.

The determination of the responsible authority may be appealed pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act relating to contested cases. Upon receipt of an appeal by an individual, the commissioner shall, before issuing the order and notice of a contested case hearing required by chapter 14, try to resolve the dispute through education, conference, conciliation, or persuasion. If the parties consent, the commissioner may refer the matter to mediation. Following these efforts, the commissioner shall dismiss the appeal or issue the order and notice of hearing. (b) Data on individuals that have been successfully challenged by an individual must be completed, corrected, or destroyed by a government entity without regard to the requirements of section 138.17.

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minnESOTA police chief

In reviewing this statute, any “inaccurate or incomplete” data is capable of “being proved false.”

For example, if command staff asserts that an employee did not attend mandatory training, the employee could contest that “inaccurate or incomplete” information because the fact of whether the employee actually attended is subject to a true-or-false analysis by the Minnesota Department of Administration. On the other hand, subjective data asserted by command staff, such as an assertion that an employee was not a team player during a recent disaster drill is not subject to any true-or-false analysis, and this subjective data opinion cannot be reviewed by the Department of Administration.

Concrete Ramifications and Conclusions for Command Staff:

• Based on the Schwanke case, an employee, such as a police patrolman, disgruntled with inaccurate or incomplete data in his (her) performance review, may be accorded a timeconsuming, resource-draining, full-blown evidentiary hearing before a state administrative law judge, replete with any and all “means of discovery available pursuant to the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure” (See, Minn. Admin. Rules §§ 1205-14.8401). Such a proceeding may include depositions and interrogatories directed by attorneys on both sides.

• Any employee now has the right to contest inaccurate or incomplete assertions subject to a “true or false” analysis before the Department of Administration. But then, as a matter of fairness and professionalism, command staff should not be making inaccurate or incomplete factual assertions in the first place.

Fall 2014

13

Legal Update

• Moving forward, command staff should carefully undertake due diligence to be certain and verify that all objective factual data in performance evaluations is true, complete and accurate, perhaps particularly so in those jurisdictions implementing pay-for-performance systems on resistant employees.

• On occasion, and despite best efforts, it may be that command staff inadvertently creates data in an employee’s performance review that is inaccurate or incomplete. If so, §13.04, Subd. 4(a)(1) requires that employee to first notify the employer of the mistake. The employer then has thirty days to correct or amend the mistake. An employer employing such remedial action may then avoid any appeal, and yet still keep the same evaluative ranking if that ranking remains fair and just after the corrections are made.

• The best news is that Schwanke does not hold that an employee may contest subjective evaluations made in good faith by supervisors. Thus, so long as the assertive facts are complete and accurate, command staff retains the managerial prerogative to subjectively rate an employee’s performance. For example, since it is not subject to a truth-or-falsity analysis, the subjective opinion that an officer does or does not exceed expectations in a certain defined performance category is not reviewable by the Department of Administration.

• While the performance evaluation process may become more laborious, it may also improve the final product. In using due diligence from the outset when preparing annual performance reviews, command staff can best effectively coach and mentor employees while minimizing potential litigation before the Department of Administration.

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• In addition, since any employee contesting the facts would likely have to hire their own attorney, and since even correction of any factual errors may not change the rating in the end, Schwanke may not, in the end, lead to any major increase in litigation.

• It may be that the legislature never intended this particular result. Further, if this result is also viewed as encroaching on bona fide managerial prerogatives, then the MCPA , along with other interested entities, may wish to explore the possibility of a legislative amendment to Minn. Stat. § 13.04.

1

On two lesser issues, the Supreme Court also held that (1) the Department of Administration may not summarily dismiss an appeal that challenges the accuracy or completeness of a performance evaluation without ordering a contested case hearing; and (2) the aggrieved employee may rely on new claims and evidence when appealing an employer’s determination that the challenged data in the performance evaluation was accurate and complete.

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Fall 2014

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Department of Public Safety

Forensic Scientists from 34 Countries and 50 U.S. States Visit Minnesota

Mona dohman Commissioner department of public safety

BCA crime scene van

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The week of Aug. 11–15, the International Association for Identification (IAI) held their 2014 annual conference in Minneapolis. Attendees included more than 1,000 forensic laboratory scientists and investigators from 34 countries. They are members of the oldest, largest forensic association in the world, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Forensic scientists are the people who perform laboratory tests to help investigators solve crimes. They analyze evidence from shoe prints to saliva samples and from bloodstains to bullets.

They work in police departments, laboratories, morgues, coroners’ offices and on the crime scene, if necessary — wherever their detection and analysis skills can help determine the truth.

In addition to the displays, hands-on sessions and presentations, the IAI conference included discussions on accreditation. Most U.S. crime labs are accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLAD/LAB), whose accreditation program began in 1981. ASCLAD/LAB is still the only organization of its kind that focuses solely on crime lab operations.

There are now 399 crime labs accredited in the U.S., according to ASCLAD. The list includes 184 state laboratories, and two of those belong to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension — one in St. Paul and one in Bemidji. Of 134 accredited local-agency labs, three are in Minnesota — the Tri-County Regional Lab in Anoka, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Crime Lab Unit and the Minneapolis Police Department Lab. The Minnesota-based Target Corporation also has two accredited lab locations — one in Minneapolis and another in Las Vegas.

Not every laboratory is accredited in every category of forensics, but the BCA lab has been accredited in all 24 disciplines for the last 20 years. Our Legislature passed a law this session that mandates forensic laboratories in Minnesota (with few, very specific exceptions) must be accredited after January 1, 2015.

ASCLAD/LAB also certifies individuals in eight specific disciplines, including bloodstain pattern analysis, footwear, forensic art (based on enough skull remnants, forensic art specialists can tell you what a victim looked like), photography, video, latent (accidental or hidden) prints, ten-print fingerprints and crime scenes.

All of this makes Minnesota a good place to be a forensic scientist, and a great place to be a law enforcement agency that depends on forensic specialists to help solve crimes. minnESOTA police chief

CLEO Certification

CLEO Certification-Partnerships and Perseverance After three-and-a-half years of brainstorming, meeting with a wide variety of stakeholders, planning and troubleshooting, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) has reached a major goal of the 2011 Strategic Plan.

In early August, MCPA proudly unveiled its Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) Certification. We are undertaking this voluntary, professional development program in conjunction with several key partners, including the League of Minnesota Cities, the POST Board and representatives from higher education.

Let’s go back to February 2011, when 21 chiefs, representing departments from across Minnesota met in Duluth to work on our association’s 3-year strategic plan. One of the goals was to research, plan and implement a CLEO Certification program.

Then Executive Director Dave Pecchia did the early legwork contacting and researching other states that provide their CLEOs with a road map to success. We identified numerous stakeholders within our profession and our communities that would bring knowledge, integrity, honor and the fortitude for success to the table.

“This conceptual design could not have been achieved without the dedication and hard work of the following individuals who participated in this effort”

Chief Rodney Seurer Second vice president Minnesoa Chiefs of Police Association Savage Police Department

CLEO Certification Training Advisory Task Force Members

Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association: Dave Pecchia, Former Executive Director; Jeff McCormick, Chief, Cannon Falls Police Department; Rodney Seurer, Chief, Savage Police Department MN Sheriff’s Association: Jim Franklin, Executive Director; Tim Leslie, Chief Deputy, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office; Bud Olson, Deputy Director Higher Education: Jeff Bumgarner, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Tim Erickson, Metro State University; William Joynes, Hamline University Bureau of Criminal Apprehension: Wade Setter, Superintendent MN Department of Public Safety: Mark Dunaski, Asst. Commissioner Association of MN Counties (AMC): Ryan Erdman, Director League of MN Cities (LMC): Jeff Kletscher, Mayor, City of Floodwood POST Board: Tim Bildsoe, Board Chair; Jan Unstad, Chair of Standards Committee; Neil Melton, Former Executive Director Project Management and Support: Peggy Strand, Project Manager, POST; Debbie Soderbeck, Project Coordinator, POST; Cathy Perme, Facilitator, C.M. Perme & Associates, LLC

Fall 2014

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CLEO Certification

In April 2012, members of an initial CLEO Certification task force met for a Needs Assessment and Conceptual Design Workshop, knowing that today’s technical, tactical, institutional and administrative skill requirements are far greater than that of CLEOs a couple of decades ago.

Several key questions were asked, including: • What does a 21st century CLEO need to effectively lead a department?

• What are the present and future best practices in leadership development?

• How can we ensure this training is efficient and cost effective?

By May, this initial task force was working on the structural design, reviewing, clarifying and analyzing competing ideas for CLEO Certification. It was a productive process that led to a draft design framework and discussion on a desired outcome.

After conferring with higher education, military professionals, CLEOs, city managers and private industries, the task force built the core curriculum as it stands today. It consists of Organizational Management, Personnel Management, Personal Development, Finance & Budgets, Technology and Ethics.

Also in the spring of 2012, we reached out to the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) Board of Directors, which was very excited about the direction CLEO Certification would take the vocation of a chief law enforcement officer.

Pecchia also extended our connections with higher education, conducting a survey which resulted in 13 schools interested in working with the task force to provide special CLEO education.

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minnESOTA police chief

By June 2012, that initial task force had refined and confirmed the design framework and identified implementation considerations and a timeline.

With Pecchia’s leadership, the CLEO Certification Task Force handed the torch off to the MCPA Certification Training Advisory Task Force (CTATF). This new task force went to work that summer and fall creating detailed design standards (the rubric), reviewing accreditation standards, identifying competency and proficiency testing, the Menu Model and the Matrix for Equivalent Competencies.

The Matrix for Equivalent Competencies included, • Formal Academic Achievement • Continuing Education • Years of Experience as a CLEO • Community and/or Law Enforcement Service • Other Professional Contributions By late fall 2012, and through the next year, we began beta testing initial CLEO Certification applications and presented the program at POST meetings, MCPA’s ETI in Rochester and to the LMC. Over the past several months, the CTATF has met monthly, working hard to ensure MCPA had an end product of which we all could be proud—one that mirrored MCPA’s mission, vision and goals.

MCPA’s board and CTATF believe the training, education and public and professional service requirements of CLEO Certification provides a critical roadmap for chiefs and commanders to succeed in their current positions and advance their careers.

Certification aims to ensure Minnesota law enforcement leaders are competent in a wide range of leadership skills, including operations and personnel management, personal development, finance and budgeting, technology and ethics. Additional electives, such as diversity enhancement and emergency management, are also identified as key skills.

“The secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members or workers better,” football coach Tony Dungy once stated.

In doing so, you must take action to improve yourself. Take a hold of this roadmap that MCPA has developed for your vocation and begin making a plan. If your personal and professional roadmap has already enhanced your leadership skills, then take the time to be a mentor and develop a succession plan for those who aspire to become a CLEO. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” said John Quincy Adams Training Never Costs, It Pays.

Apply for CLEO Certification: To make the process as easy as possible, the MCPA has built a CLEO Certification page at mnchiefs.org. There you can download the application and directions, view a sample application, get your questions answered in the FAQ section, submit the application and pay via credit card. (You may also mail MCPA a check.)

The MCPA Foundation is offering a limited number of stipends to cover application fees. If you're interested in a stipend, please contact the MCPA office at info@mnchiefs.org.

Fall 2014

We would like to extend our deepest appreciation and heartfelt thanks to the members of the CLEO Certification Training Advisory Task Force individuals listed previously and below for their time and dedication to helping elevate the professional standards and individual performance of Minnesota’s law enforcement executives.

MCPA: Karen Anderson, MCPA former staff; Bob Jacobson, Public Safety Director, New Brighton Department of Public Safety; Lori Sandell, MCPA former staff; Matt Gottschalk, Chief, Staples Police Department.

Higher Education: Don Winger, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota; Wayne Shellum, Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute; Dennis Cusick, Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute.

Public: Molly McCarthy, Travelers Insurance Company; Sarah Walker, Hill Capitol Strategies.

MN Department of Public Safety: Mark Dunaski, Asst. Commissioner.

League of MN Cities: Lynda Woulfe, City Manager, City of Cambridge.

Recent changes in MCPA staffing and within members’ personal and professional lives resulted in new members on the CTATF that include: Andy Skoogman, MCPA Executive Director; Joe Sheeran, MCPA Staff; Hugo McPhee, Chief, Three Rivers Park District.

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MCPA CLEO Certification

MCPA Unveils Gold Standard in CLEO Certification

By Joe Sheeran, Outreach Coordinator, Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association

Back in 2006 when Adam Christopher made the transition from sergeant to chief, he faced a steep learning curve. The new job involved more than just “driving and shooting” and possessing the necessary field skills, says the Montevideo police chief.

Suddenly Christopher had to deal with human resources issues, budgeting and equipment purchasing, navigating city and department politics (with a small p) and playing legal expert to keep his department of about 10 officers out of trouble.

It’s part of the reason he’s a big believer in continuing formal education and training and why he strongly advocated for the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association’s (MCPA) groundbreaking CLEO Certification initiative as a member of the education and training committee.

MCPA, in conjunction with several key partners (POST Board, the League of Minnesota Cities and higher education), unveiled the credentialing program in early August.

The Association hopes this voluntary, professional development program becomes the gold standard for police chiefs in Minnesota and demonstrates their commitment to professional development and continued training.

CLEO Certification encompasses five major categories to ensure chiefs maintain a well-rounded set of skills and experience: formal academic

20

achievement, continuing education and training, years of service as a CLEO, community service and contributions to the profession.

CLEO Certification’s comprehensiveness in what it evaluates “is an important step forward for the association’s professional development goals,” says Christopher. It provides commanders at all levels a road map to the prerequisites they’ll need to advance in their careers and be more successful in their current positions.

A City’s Perspective

Chief Adam Christopher, Montevideo Police Department

“We ask so much of our police chiefs,” says Lynda Woulfe, Cambridge city administrator. “It’s one of the most critical positions in a city, and among the most challenging to hire.”

“We ask so much of our police chiefs,” says Lynda Woulfe, Cambridge city administrator. “It’s one of the most critical positions in a city, and among the most challenging to hire.”

Realizing the MCPA could be an asset in hiring, evaluating and ensuring a chief’s long-term success, the League of Minnesota Cities took an early interest in the initiative, appointing Woulfe to the CLEO Certification taskforce.

In Woulfe’s view, the application process is rigorous, but fair. Because of all the continuing education courses, years of services and community and professional involvement the certification requires, cities can be confident that a CLEO-certified chief has a well-rounded skill-set.

When fully implemented, it will provide cities valuable guidance in hiring chiefs, and because certifications expire and have to be renewed every

minnESOTA police chief

three years, it ensures a chief continues upgrading his or her professional training.

Like other sectors that serve the public, police work has evolved from a job, to a craft, to a profession associated with best practices informed by extensive theoretical testing, necessitating a more formalized education track, according to Jeffrey Bumgarner Ph. D., a criminal justice professor, former chief and member of MCPA’s CLEO Certification task force.

“It is no longer sufficient for a new officer, with no formal education or experience, to simply shadow a veteran officer for a while to ‘learn the ropes,’” says Bumgarner. “There are complex legal, ethical, communicative, analytical, sociological, political, cultural and scientific skill sets which are routinely employed by police officers today.” Likewise, commanders don’t just become effective chief

Fall 2014

administrators through practice alone, there’s a formalized body of knowledge that helps inform and guide on-the-job actions.

Years on the job and practical experience are important. The CLEO Certification process recognizes that, but the continuing education component is an equally critical assessment tool.

With constant changes in state and federal law concerning both criminal justice and personnel issues, technological advancements, shifting demographic and social trends, and improved public safety techniques, a chief needs to continue attending a wide array of formal training.

“Without continuing formal education, a chief can get a department into a lot of trouble real fast,” says Woulfe.

If a chief doesn’t maintain a high set of professional standards or a city

hires a bad chief, it can get expensive for municipalities, from lawsuits to a costly termination fight and rehiring process.

“It also costs us credibility with the community,” says Woulfe. That’s an external cost that money can’t buy back.

The CLEO Certification taskforce feels that when chiefs maintain the highest professional standards and practices, their departments will follow, ensuring communities hold the utmost regard for those in the line of duty.

“I’m on the committee because I truly believe in advancing the professionalization of policing in general, and police administration in particular,” says Bumgarner. “I believe CLEO Certification moves police administration further along the occupational continuum toward professionalism and I’m very happy to be a part of that process.”

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Recruiting Top Candidates

Finding the Right Officer From my interactions with CLEOs statewide, it would appear that many of us have a number of trials and tribulations recruiting top candidates for law enforcement positions. Unfortunately, of late, there have been more tribulations, forcing many of us to take a new course.

In the late 1990s, our department settled upon a recruitment and testing process that served us well for about 15 years. Our agency, like many other departments, attended career fairs and posted our openings in the newspaper and with the POST Board’s Career Hot Line, which generally yielded 300 or more potential candidates who would take a standardized written exam. Those who passed the exam were ranked and the top 40 candidates were invited back for interviews.

In lieu of an interview panel, our department chose to conduct one-on-one interviews with the candidates. We were able to create a more comfortable environment where the candidates were less stressed and where a genuine conversation was easier to generate. As such, the candidates would rotate between three different interviewers for these one-on-one conversations. The interviewers would then gather at the end of the day and share their evaluations. If two of the three interviewers issued a passing score for a candidate, then that candidate would be invited back for a second round of one-on-one interviews with three different evaluators. Again, if two of the three evaluators passed a candidate, then the candidate would be invited to a conversation with the chief of police.

While this process is not the norm within our profession, it did serve our department well as again, we were able to better interact with the candidates to evaluate their communication skills and future potential.

With 120 of the typical 300 applicants passing our written test, we were able to keep the list alive for about one year. We invited in a group of 40 candidates for the interview process that ultimately led to the hiring of very sound candidates to fill our openings.

However, in 2012, the wheels fell off of the wagon. That year, we tested 417 candidates and through our process, including a thorough background investigation, we yielded only three officer candidates; one of whom did not pass field training, leaving us with several unfilled openings.

The pool was drained. We were shocked by the lack of talent and decided to abandon our timetested process.

Chief Mike Goldstein Third Vice President Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association Plymouth Police Department

We were shocked by the lack of talent and decided to abandon our time-tested process.

Going forward, we made the conscious decision to head hunt. Over the last 18 months, we have hired eight officers that were sought out through our recruiting efforts; whereby, these candidates were known to us through our Reserve, CSO and Internship programs or who were laterals that were selected to join our ranks. The written test was discontinued, as we were no longer casting a wide net. To wade through that pool was too costly, time consuming and disappointing. The oneFall 2014

23

Recruiting Top Candidates

on-one interviews still remain for the more narrowly selected candidate pool.

While this was not a novel approach as many departments recruit from their volunteer ranks, for us this was a different approach as before, we would require these known commodities to compete against the larger pool with the rest of the general applicants.

Now, we actively look for referrals and spend time meeting these potential candidates through a more informal process. The targeted candidates are invited to apply to our various volunteer programs if they are not already affiliated with us, or with another law enforcement entity, so that we are able to complete an initial assessment of their capabilities. Those with a proven track record are then invited to apply for our police officer openings where they compete against a much smaller and better-known pool.

This process has generated great success, as these referrals are vetted through both an informal and a formal process where a true comfort level with the candidate is generated prior to a job offer. While this process takes time to cultivate our smaller candidate pool, it is ultimately more effective, efficient and beneficial for all involved.

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minnESOTA police chief

The All Star Game

The 2014 All Star Game…

A Hit in Minneapolis

By Matthew Clark, Assistant Chief, Minneapolis Police Department

The 2014 All Star Game (ASG) was an exciting and memorable experience for the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The game and related events were a great success and showcased the amenities and vitality of the Twin Cities to many visitors. For local law enforcement, it was an opportunity to display our strong partnerships, professionalism and public safety skills. During the three days of the ASG, 25 police departments and many other public safety agencies came together to deploy over 500 uniformed police personnel and hundreds of additional public safety responders. We are very thankful for these important partnerships and collaborations. The ASG was a safe and fun-family event due in large part to the dedication and commitment from each and every public safety individual involved. As Incident Commander, I was able to work directly with these dedicated individuals, and it was a privilege to meet and learn from different representatives involved in a diverse spectrum of public safety disciplines.

The large deployment of personnel and overall operation was successful because we included many local law enforcement partners, strategically planned and prepared, and involved key stakeholders.

The All Star Game and Events The ASG week includes a series of Major League Baseball (MLB) Fall 2014

St. Paul officer addresses the press

For local law enforcement, it was an opportunity to display our strong partnerships professionalism and public safety skills.

sponsored events throughout the second week in July. The highlight of the week is the actual ASG in which MLB’s best play an internationally televised, nine-inning game between the National and American Leagues.

Prior to the ASG, baseball fans are able to attend a free parade that involves the MLB players and the player’s families. This year the “Red Carpet Show” had an estimated attendance of 50,000-60,000 fans. The day before the ASG, the MLB’s best hitters participate in the Home Run 25

The All Star Game

Derby and compete to hit the most home runs. The event is as popular as the ASG and is also internationally televised. Other major events include Fan Fest (120,000 attendees), Futures Game (35,000), Celebrity Softball (35,000), Charity Concert (25,000 run by the University of Minnesota Police Department at TCF Stadium) and a private gala and fireworks (5,000) run by the Minneapolis Park Police at the Mill City Ruins. During this week in Minneapolis all of the downtown hotels were reserved for MLB players and families, MLB Hall of Fame players, umpires, MLB staff, celebrities and fans. Additionally, many downtown entertainment venues were rented for private parties.

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minnESOTA police chief

Reaching outside the Minneapolis Police Department The ASG is an international event, and it was clear from initial planning meetings that a strong

We asked for, and were very thankful, that 25 metro law enforcement agencies volunteered their personnel. and visible police presence was necessary to provide a high level of operational security. We also wanted to be inclusive of our local law enforcement partners and give them an opportunity to be a part of the fun and excitement. In November 2013, we invited a number of Twin Cities law enforcement agencies to an introductory meeting that outlined the ASG and explained our public safety strategy. We emphasized our goal to have the majority of our uniformed officers walking downtown beats or riding bikes as they engaged with the public and showcased the partnerships between our agencies. To further display our multi-agency response, we strategically placed marked squads from the involved agencies throughout downtown Minneapolis during the three main days of the ASG. We asked for, and were very thankful, that 25 metro law enforcement agencies volunteered their personnel.

Participation in large-scale policing events often marks a career highlight for the involved personnel. We heard Fall 2014

from many of the assigned ASG officers that being a part of this year’s events was no exception.

Planning and Preparation Police operations can be difficult to manage when multiple units are conducting simultaneous missions.

In-depth strategic planning and preparation always pays off during the operational phase. For the ASG, 14 distinct workgroups were identified 12 months prior to the event and MPD command personnel were assigned chair positions within each workgroup.

These workgroups followed a series of calendar set meetings and milestones to complete specific missions, functions and tasks within their workgroups. Each workgroup created a chapter within the overall event Incident Action Plan (IAP). Within each work group critical relationship

key part of personnel management, and this will occur even sooner for future events. We also learned that communication to our supervisors within sub-units for each work group was a challenge. Our plan to improve this process going forward is to involve these sub-unit supervisors in larger command discussions at earlier stages within the process. Ultimately, we found that all of our commanders, supervisors and personnel had a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and they did an outstanding job during the ASG. A critical part of the planning process for these large-scale events involves visiting the previous year’s event in other cities. This gives commanders and coordinators a chance to see the operational process first hand. The MPD sent personnel to New York City to review their operational procedures

MPD bike police gather with fans

and team building occurred during the long hours spent planning, outlining and documenting their duties and responsibilities.

From our debriefing meetings we found that early involvement by a dedicated staffing coordinator was a

during the 2013 ASG. This visit provided an understanding of the event from a spectator’s point of view at the many entertainment venues and from a commander’s perspective within the operational command locations. It also

27

The All Star Game

allowed us to understand the related events that occurred in conjunction with the ASG.

Key Partners A comprehensive public safety response cannot solely involve police agencies. As part of the initial planning process we began building collaborations with key partners. We were lucky to have excellent partners in both the Minnesota Twins organization and MLB. Both organizations were accommodating to our safety concerns and assisted our workgroups as they planned duties, roles and individual tasks.

The FBI played an important role as our federal liaison and they assisted in areas with tactical, HAZMAT, intelligence and command post functions. We also connected with our local United States Secret Service office (USSS) and Homeland Security representatives. The Vice President’s wife, Jill Biden, attended the Red Carpet Show and the ASG. Thanks to our on-going relationships with the USSS, we were able to easily adjust and assist them with her security detail.

Department of Homeland Security representatives provided expert advice on threat mitigation techniques and even introduced us to industry experts.

Additionally, our state partners were involved in areas such as intelligence Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and transportation (Minnesota State Patrol). These partnerships also proved their value during the operational phase in the command post and at the Joint Information Center.

Another example of partnerships occurred with our Joint Hazardous Assessment Teams. These teams were 28

a preventive measure that proactively attempted to detect and assess hazardous materials in and around the event locations. The teams were made of representatives from local police departments, the National Guard, federal agencies and state personnel.

We strived to place the right people in the right positions and we are very thankful that these key partners filled important positions and assisted us throughout the development of our HAZMAT and WMD response process.

One new partnership was formed as a result of this event with our downtown business partners. The Downtown Security Executive Group (DSEG) is a group of over 20 security executives from various downtown Minneapolis businesses.

This group formed to coordinate specific intelligence, logistics and communication functions with the MPD for the ASG and future downtown events. We found this group to be an essential part of our public safety response strategy, because it was able to introduce security personnel, cameras and information into our operational strategy. DSEG was also helpful in our logistics planning.

They set up and staffed three rest stop locations in the downtown area. Public safety personnel were able to stop at these secure locations for breaks. The DSEG even hosted a large barbecue event for all of the participating first responders at the MPD’s 1st Precinct.

The barbecue was a big hit with the first responders.

Looking Towards the 2018 Super Bowl During the operational phase and from debriefings there were clear indicators for what worked well and what needs to be adjusted in

preparation for the 2018 Super Bowl.

Using beat and bike officers helped us connect with fans and visitors.

Showcasing our law enforcement partnerships and involving multiple agencies created a safe and positive experience for the involved officers as well as the attendees. Early preparation and planning phases need to be highly organized and coordinated with early involvement by individuals who are specifically assigned to those fulltime duties. Finally, working with and involving the right stake holders makes all the difference between an adequate protective detail and an outstanding comprehensive public safety operation.

The Super Bowl has a special event assessment rating of level one, while the ASG has a lower rating of level three. The difference between these ratings means a greater level of federal participation and an increase in federal coordination and resource allocation.

We expect that the local public safety strategy for the 2018 Super Bowl will be similar to that of this year’s ASG and that the additional involvement by federal agencies will only strengthen the strategic planning, preparation and overall operations resulting in a safe environment for all.

On behalf of Chief Janee Harteau and the Minneapolis Police Department, we would like to thank the first responders and public safety professionals who participated in the 2014 All Star Game. Visitors, fans and residents clearly expressed their approval and gratitude for the visible uniformed presence and the safe and secure environment that was present during the ASG. It was definitely a memorable experience and career highlight for myself and those involved.

minnESOTA police chief

Law Enforcement in the Community

Cops and Bobbers – Building Relationships and Traditions

By Debbie McDermott, Detective Commander, Mankato Department of Public Safety

Officer Keith Mortensen, a school resource officer with the Mankato Department of Public Safety, wanted to find a way to reach out to kids in the community who were identified as “at risk.” His goal was to build positive relationships with the kids as well as to offer them healthier alternatives to their summer plans. The result….

“Cops and Bobbers.”

Officer Mortensen spent several months reaching out to community businesses and organizations sharing with them his ideas about the new program and asking for donations.

There was an overwhelming response to the proposal and generous donations of product and money were given to the program that made the idea turn into a reality.

Applications for the program were sent out and the 25 available spaces were quickly filled. The majority of the new anglers were immigrant children who came from a culture where fishing was not popular. We partnered with the local Islamic Center who provided transportation for their children to the event. The program was held at a local city pond that is stocked with fish by the DNR. The program ran almost every Wednesday during the summer months for three hours. Each participant was given a lunch provided by the Salvation Army. Children were paired with members of public safety staff, as well as other volunteers, to learn the finer Fall 2014

Officer Keith Mortenson and a “bobber”.

art of fishing. The first event started out slow, due to flooding, with no fish being caught. The day was not wasted as it provided a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other, to learn some fishing basics, like casting, and to go over the state fishing guidelines booklet.

After a slow start to the fishing, the following weeks were filled with an abundance of fish being caught.

Types of fish caught include sunny’s, bullheads and even an occasional Northern. The enthusiasm and smiles on the kids’ faces seemed to be all the

thanks the volunteers needed to keep them coming back.

In addition to the fishing, the program scheduled a number of public safety demonstrations. These included; water rescue, CPR, dive team, close up inspections of squad cars and fire trucks and a water patrol boat. Games and crafts were also provided by the local Boy Scouts.

Interest and attendance in the program remained strong throughout the summer. Though the program started out with a limit of 25 kids, word spread and other children came forward wanting to be a part of the action. Eventually, participation grew to 44 kids. Each child received their own fishing rod and supplies at the end of the program to encourage them to continue to participate in the joys of fishing.

It was a rewarding experience for all involved. The children aren’t the only ones who learned things.

Our volunteers commented on how they learned a lot and gained an understanding of other cultures.

They came away from the program with new respect and understanding of those who come from a different background and who have lived different experiences. This program exceeded our expectations. We value the relationships built throughout this program and hope they will be long lasting.

29

Safe Harbor in Minnesota

Sex Trafficking and Exploitation: Providing Safe Harbor in Minnesota

By Dave Pinto, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney

Duluth. St. Paul. Fridley. Moorhead.

Winona.

In every corner of Minnesota sexual exploitation and trafficking is happening, hidden in plain sight.

Any community with online ads for prostitution, any community with runaway or homeless youth – really, any community with access to the internet – is at risk.

Sexual exploitation occurs when an individual exchanges sex for money, food, shelter, drugs, or something else of value. When the exploitation involves a third person (a “pimp” or trafficker), it is known as sex trafficking.

Vulnerable Youth, Willing Buyers and Motivated Traffickers Juvenile sexual trafficking requires only three components: vulnerable youth, willing buyers and motivated traffickers.

Traffickers are motivated by the enormous amounts of money they can make – often well over $500 per night per victim. With two victims working seven nights per week, a trafficker can easily obtain more than $300,000 per year, with very limited expenses.

Vulnerable youth can be found in every community. Particularly at risk are runaways, truants, foster children, indigenous girls, as well as with those who have been abused or neglected, have developmental disabilities, or struggle with substance abuse. But any child who feels lonely, insecure or

30

Vulnerable youth can be found in every community. estranged from family and friends may be a target. Internet access and social media, making anyone reachable from anywhere, enable tech-savvy traffickers to recruit and coerce young people into prostitution with a manipulative blend of affection and control.

And unfortunately, those who are willing to buy sex from underage victims exist in every community.

By its nature, sexual exploitation is difficult to uncover and statistics are limited. Exploiters exercise strong psychological control of victims, who may have been deeply suspicious of authorities in any case. Victims may feel deep shame or suffer from mental illness, and they often become chemically dependent as a means to deal with the trauma of experiencing sexual assault so frequently, night after night. They may not even realize the extent of their own victimization.

Despite the difficulty of discovering this crime, even the limited cases our agencies have seen paint a frightening picture: Girls brought from Duluth / Superior to be sold in St. Paul and from Fridley to be sold in Colorado Springs. Trafficking in Moorhead and Winona. In one case in the Twin Cities, a victim estimated that there had

been “at least fifty” women and girls victimized by one family of traffickers through the years.

Safe Harbor For many years, youth subject to sexual exploitation were considered delinquents, “prostitutes” who were acting inappropriately and destructively. Minnesota’s new Safe Harbor Law, effective August 1, dismantles this paradigm and recognizes the true status of sexually exploited youth as victims.

As part of Safe Harbor, Minnesota is establishing a system of regional “navigators” to link victims with services and to help each community build its response. Contact information for the navigator for your region is available via www.mnchiefs.org/safeharbor.

Another important component of Safe Harbor is extensive training for law enforcement and its partners.

The kickoff to this training is the BCA Sex Trafficking Conference for Investigators, October 28-30 in the Brainerd area. All costs are covered, including lodging and mileage, and every agency should send at least one officer. Registration can be made through mnchiefs.org/safe-harbor.

Later this year, look for a series of training videos to be played at roll calls, with more training opportunities coming in 2015. Contact Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Dave Pinto

minnESOTA police chief

(david.pinto@co.ramsey.mn.us or 651266-2739) to request training in your area or with any questions.

We Can Make a Difference As leaders in the criminal justice system, we have the responsibility to educate ourselves and our officers about sexually exploited youth and the system that is being put in place to help them. Many of our colleagues had minimal expectations when they began looking at sexual exploitation in their communities, only to be astonished at the breadth and complexity of what they encountered.

These cases demand a challenging shift in perspective. They require us to look beyond preconceptions about

Many of our colleagues had minimal expectations when they began looking at sexual exploitation in their communities, only to be astonished

how a “victim” will look and act. But they also provide tremendous rewards.

Recently, sex traffickers have received sentences ranging from 21 to 40 years, showing the growing seriousness with which this crime is being addressed in our state. Above all else, these cases are about saving lives – those who are victims and those who are vulnerable, who await our attention and response.

Please visit mnchiefs.org/safe-harbor for more information.

at the breadth and complexity of what they encountered.

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31

Community Roundtable Project

The Violent Crime Coordinating Council Community Roundtable Project

By Hector Garcia, Executive Director, Chicano Latino Affairs Council and VCCC member, Kenneth Reed, Commander, Saint Paul Police Department and VCCC member

The escalating illegal and dangerous use of synthetic drugs, heroin and prescription painkillers, and the presence of gang and violent crime, is of great concern to most citizens in Minnesota. These activities cause serious health, social and economic problems to the overall society.

They have especially damaging consequences to youth. The economic future of the state demands significant improvements in engaging the young; a Georgetown University report projected that 70 percent of Minnesota jobs will require some higher education, yet our state has some of the highest high-school drop-out rates in the nation among the poor, minority and American Indian communities.

The Minnesota Violent Crime

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Coordinating Council (VCCC) was created by the Legislature in 2010 to replace the Gang and Drug Oversight Council. Its purpose is to provide oversight and increase collaboration and coordination between the 22 Violent Crime Enforcement Teams (VCETs) across the state. The council is made up of 19 members including state and federal prosecutors, police chiefs, sheriffs, state agencies and citizen members representing councils of color.

While the VCET Task Force groups are heavily involved in the traditional enforcement of crime and drug laws, across the state in 2013 they also provided information and educational presentations to almost 500 groups and 18,000 citizens, parents, teachers

and other professionals. Community leaders, researchers and police officials recognize that even more can be done and that there is a need for a strong, well-articulated role for community members in community policing efforts.

Recently, the VCCC launched a Crime and Drugs Community Roundtable pilot project to improve communication between law enforcement and community members. The pilot project was launched in Ramsey County and in Southeast Minnesota. A third roundtable test is being planned for Northern Minnesota for later this year. Since it is in the best interests of all society to reduce crime and drug addiction, the collaboration of the

minnESOTA police chief

community is viable and necessary.

This collaboration can only be effective if communication between members of the community and law enforcement is clear, functional and engenders trust.

Contact between community groups and law enforcement is not frequent and usually takes place under stressful circumstances. There is considerable misperception of officers and the law by members of the community as well as misinterpretation of intent by the latter. Stereotypes are common on both sides. Furthermore, a recent increase of immigrants and refugees to Minnesota adds additional misperceptions, derived from language and cultural differences. The principle behind the Crime and Drugs Community Roundtable pilot project is the proverbial wisdom of community crime prevention.

A regular exchange of factual information and clarification of misunderstandings, which the Crime and Drugs Community Roundtable pilot project is expected to provide, can reduce the barriers to cooperation.

Most importantly, the development

Fall 2014

of personal trust can make the human tendency to stereotype less intense and less resistant to change. Trust will make possible an interest to better understand each other’s cultures. Part of the intent is to motivate immigrants and refugees to integrate more quickly and lead law enforcement agencies to hire persons proficient in the languages and cultures to connect with these new members of the community.

Ramsey County VCET commander Rich Clark had this to say after participating in the initial pilot project roundtable, “We place a high value on community engagement to address the issues of gang violence and the destruction caused by illegal narcotics.

We have long standing partnerships with the Neighborhood House, St. Paul Youth Services and Save Our Sons, enlisting their expertise in youth gang intervention and prevention programs.

The Community Roundtable forum has helped expand our community outreach network and provided positive, two-way communication between law enforcement and our community.�

Police alone cannot substantially impact crime and advocate for the community as a full partner in preventing and responding to problems - community involvement is an integral part of any long-term, problem-solving strategy. At the most basic level, the community provides policing agencies with invaluable information on both the problems of concern to them and the nature of those problems.

Community involvement also helps ensure that policing agencies concentrate on the appropriate issues in a manner that will create support. In addition, collaborative work involving police and community members provides the community with insight into the police perspective on specific crime and disorder problems. It is anticipated that the Crime and Drugs Community Roundtable pilot project underway will empower the police and the community to communicate and collaborate in a worthwhile manner leading to better outcomes for our children and our state.

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CornerHouse

What Can a Children’s Advocacy Center Do For Me?

By Nancy Seger, LGSW, Forensic Services Director, CornerHouse

I know. You’re swamped. Your investigators are treading water, just trying to keep up with their current caseload. It’s hard enough to slow down just to take a breath, much less to partner with any community agencies. And child abuse cases?

Nobody wants to touch those with a 10-foot pole.

But the calls keep coming in: 9-yearold Sally says her Uncle Willie touched her private parts again after her birthday party; 11-year-old Devon told his mom about what his coach did to him after practice last night; 13-yearold Bella refuses to go home from school because she’s afraid she’ll get whooped by her mom again.

And because you care about the safety of these kids, and every other child in your jurisdiction, you take the reports. You assign the cases for investigation, and you do the best you can to keep up. Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) provide a non-intimidating, safe space for alleged victims to talk about what happened in a way that minimizes their potential trauma. CACs work with multidisciplinary teams to prosecute offenders and to help victims heal.

Children’s Advocacy Centers can aid your departments in the pursuit of justice by:

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Coordinating the efforts of all involved parties, thereby saving time.  Multidisciplinary teams are more successful in eliminating duplication, assuring that children do not fall through the cracks, and bringing more cases to a successful resolution.1 Increasing the accountability for offenders.  Research indicates that alleged perpetrators convicted of sex crimes against children were sentenced to longer prison terms when they had been investigated using the CAC multidisciplinary model.2 Improving the cooperation and satisfaction of caregivers.  The non-offending parents and caregivers of alleged child victims seen at CACs were more satisfied with the investigation process than those whose children were not served by CACs.3 Promoting promising practices.  CACs share relevant research, provide training and make other valuable resources available to all components of the multidisciplinary teams.

Fostering recovery of victims.  Young people seen at CACs are more likely to be referred for medical services, mental health services and behavioral health assessments.4

Saving money.  A cost-benefit analysis shows that traditional investigations cost 36% more than CAC collaborative investigations.5 An investigation using a CAC can save as much as $1,000 per child!

When your investigators bring an alleged victim to a children’s advocacy center, they are making a whole package of vital services available to that child, adolescent or vulnerable adult. Not only will that individual receive a high-quality forensic interview with a very skilled and compassionate interviewer, but their whole family will also receive support and guidance through a time of profound crisis. They will receive referrals for necessary medical and mental health services and will have an active supportive partner as they prepare for trial. Forensic interviewers from a CAC will also provide testimony at trial regarding the interview, which frees your investigators from having to speak to that aspect of the investigation on the stand.

You can be assured of high-quality services at a CAC. Every accredited Children’s Advocacy Center must meet the standards found on the following page, established by the National Children’s Alliance (http://www. nationalchildrensalliance.org):

minnESOTA police chief

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM (MDT)

A multidisciplinary team for response to child abuse allegations includes representation from the following: • Law enforcement • Child protective services • Prosecution • Medical • Mental health • Victim advocacy • Children’s advocacy center

CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND DIVERSITY

Culturally competent services are routinely made available to all CAC clients and coordinated with the multidisciplinary team response.

FORENSIC INTERVIEWS

Forensic interviews are conducted in a manner that is legally sound, of a neutral, fact finding nature, and are coordinated to avoid duplicative interviewing.

VICTIM SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY

Victim support and advocacy services are routinely made available to all CAC clients and their non-offending family members as part of the multidisciplinary team response.

MEDICAL EVALUATION

Specialized medical evaluation and treatment services are routinely made available to all CAC clients and coordinated with the multidisciplinary team response.

MENTAL HEALTH

Specialized trauma-focused mental health services, designed to meet the unique needs of the children and non-offending family members, are routinely made available as part of the multidisciplinary team response.

CASE REVIEW

A formal process in which multidisciplinary discussion and information sharing regarding the investigation, case status and services needed by the child and family is to occur on a routine basis.

CASE TRACKING

Children’s advocacy centers must develop and implement a system for monitoring case progress and tracking case outcomes for all MDT components.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY

A designated legal entity responsible for program and fiscal operations has been established and implements basic sound administrative policies and procedures.

CHILD-FOCUSED SETTING

The child-focused setting is comfortable, private and both physically and psychologically safe for diverse populations of children and their non-offending family members.

Please consult the list on the right to find the children’s advocacy center closest to you! If you are interested in establishing a new CAC in your area, please contact Marcia Milliken at 612-615-4605.

CornerHouse is an accredited CAC that assures the voices of children and adolescents are heard.

CornerHouse is a world-class leader in forensic interviewing. It provides forensic interviews and medical services to children, adolescents and vulnerable adults in Minnesota (mostly Hennepin County) that may be victims of abuse or witnesses of violent crimes. CornerHouse also offers family services to support families and caregivers with education counseling and crisis management. In addition, CornerHouse provides internationally-recognized, state-of-the-art training in forensic interviewing throughout the world. Founded in 1989, CornerHouse turns 25 this year. www.cornerhousemn.org

Fall 2014

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2

3

4

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Smith, D.W. , Witte, T.H., & Fricker-Elhai, A.E. (2006). Service outcomes in physical and sexual abuse cases: A comparison of child advocacy centerbased and standard services. Child Maltreatment, 11 (4), 354-60.

Walsh, W.A., Lippert, T., Cross, T.E., Maurice, D.M., & Davison, K.S. (2008). How long to prosecute child sexual abuse for a community using a children’s advocacy center and two comparison communities?

Child Maltreatment, 13 (1), 3-13.

Jones, L.M., Cross, T.E., Walsh, W.A., Simone, M. (2007). Do children advocacy centers improve families’ experiences of child sexual abuse investigations? Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 10691085.

Walsh, W.A., Lippert, T., Cross, T.E., Maurice, D.M., & Davison, K.S. (2008) Which sexual abuse victims receive a forensic medical examination? The impact of Children’s Advocacy Centers. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31, 1053-1068.

Formby, J., Shadoin, A.L., Shao, L, Magnuson, S.N., & Overman, L.B. (2006). Cost-benefit analysis of community responses to child maltreatment: A comparison of communities with and without child advocacy centers. (Research Report No. 06-3).

Huntsville, AL: National Children’s Advocacy

Center

Children’s Advocacy Centers in Minnesota (http://www.mrcac.org/statechapter/minnesota/) Minnesota Children’s Alliance (coordinates activities among all MN CACs) 15225 Square Lakes Trail N Stillwater, MN 55082 marcia.milliken@gmail.com Marcia Milliken, Executive Director P: 612/615-4605 www.minnesotachildrensalliance.org Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota (Associate) North Country Health Services 1300 Anne Street, NW Bemidji, MN 56601 Aria.Trudeau@sanfordhealth.org Aria Trudeau, Director P: 218/333/6011 F: 218/333-5880 First Witness Child Abuse Resource Center (Accredited) 4 West 5th St Duluth, MN 55806 beth@firstwitness.org Beth Olson, Executive Director P: 218/727-8353 F: 218/727-3747 www.firstwitness.org Red River Child Advocacy (Accredited) 100 S 4th St, Suite 302 Fargo, ND 58104 annarrcac@yahoo.com Anna Frissel, Contact P: 701/234-4580 CornerHouse (Accredited) Interagency Child Abuse Evaluation and Training Center 2502-10th Avenue So Minneapolis, MN 55404-4510 patricia.harmon@childrensmn.org Patricia Harmon, Executive Director P: 612/813-8300 F: 612/813-8330 www.cornerhousemn.org Mayo Clinic-Rochester (Associate) 200 First St SW Rochester, MN 55905 schmidt.koreen@mayo.edu Koreen Schmidt, Contact P: 507/266-0443 Midwest Children’s Resource Center (Accredited) Gardenview Medical Building Suite 401 347 N Smith Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102 Carolyn Levitt, Executive Director P: 651/220-6750 F: 651/220-6770 Matty’s Place Tau Center, Suite 309 511 Hilbert Street Winona, MN 55987 cmeiners@fccnetwork.org Carrie Meiners, Executive Director

35

Vendor Profile AAA Minnesota/Iowa

AAA Minnesota/Iowa The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) values its vendor relationships.

It is proud to highlight industry vendors who bring vital products and services to the law enforcement community. We are pleased to feature AAA Minnesota/Iowa in this issue.

Key staff is Gail Weinholzer Director of Public Affairs 952-707-4985 gail.weinholzer@mn-ia.aaa.com AAA Minnesota/Iowa general number is 952-707-4200 Web Site: www.AAA.com

AAA Minnesota was founded in 1907 and AAA Iowa in 1922. The two state organizations merged in 1997. They serve Iowa and all counties in Minnesota except Hennepin (serviced by AAA Minneapolis). As North America’s largest dues paying organization, AAA provides more than 54 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services.

What product(s)/service(s) does AAA Minnesota/Iowa bring to the law enforcement community?

We provide free educational materials such as Good Going for kids, StreetSmarts, for all drivers and On The Go for senior drivers to law enforcement for their community events and programs.

We sponsor law enforcement recognition events for counties such as Dakota and sponsor law enforcement conferences such as elements of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association’s Executive Training Institute. We provide mini-grants to law enforcement for traffic safety activities such as seat belt challenges and mock car crashes.

What is your company mission or philosophy?

We were founded as a not-for-profit company nationwide in 1902 to enhance roadway safety for all users. In Minnesota, we lobbied to enhance the Child Passenger Safety, Graduated Driver’s Licensing and primary/universal seatbelt laws as well as reducing the Blood Alcohol Concentration allowable by law and promoting the ignition interlock system.

Is there a new product or innovative service that AAA Minnesota/Iowa is particularly proud that it has done as it relates to Minnesota’s law enforcement community?

We are always looking to expand our traffic safety programs as we have with the “I Got Caught” program. Initially focused on just youth and helmets, we expanded it to include teens and seat belts. The youth program has more than 450 law enforcement agencies participating and the teen program has more than 125 law enforcement agencies participating. We’d really like to increase participation in this second program especially as we know the rates of unbelted teens.

How has your involvement with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association helped your business?

We know traffic safety partnerships are the key to reaching zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries. No one agency, company, or department can do it alone. We know law enforcement is a vital partner in educating drivers through their community outreach programs and we want to do everything we can to help.

Looking into the future, do you see any trends that will strongly affect the law enforcement community in your area of specialty?

We are seeing a decline in roadway fatalities, but still have a long way to go “Towards Zero Deaths.”

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minnESOTA police chief

Katie Poirier Memorial Scholarship

Two Students Awarded Katie Poirier Memorial Scholarship

By Tom Urbanski, Director, Public Information, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College

The Katie Poirier Law Enforcement Scholarship was established to honor and remember Katie Poirier, a Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College student who had a career goal of becoming a law enforcement officer.

Scholarship funds are provided by the Poirier family and the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Foundation in memory of Katie.

The Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Foundation announced that Melanie Berntson and Samantha Vezina, two law enforcement students currently attending the college, have been awarded the Katie Poirier Law Enforcement Scholarships for 2013-2014. The two students were selected from a group of outstanding applicants who are seeking careers in law enforcement.

Melanie Berntson is a graduate of Duluth East High School and currently resides in Duluth. She is a sophomore in the Law Enforcement program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and will graduate and complete the skills program in June. Berntson intends on entering the workforce following her graduation with a career goal of working as a conservation officer.

Samantha Vezina, a graduate of Duluth Central High School and a current resident of Duluth, is a sophomore in the Law Enforcement program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. She will complete Fall 2014

Melanie Berntson and Samantha Vezina along with Scott Lyons, Coordinator of the Law Enforcement program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. Scott retired in June from the college and he was also the former Chief of Police in Duluth.

the Law Enforcement Skills Program in June and graduate from the associate degree program in December.

Her career goal is to become a Law Enforcement peace officer.

The first Katie Poirier Law Enforcement Scholarships were awarded during Fall Semester 2000.

Since that first award, a total of 29 Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College students have benefitted from

receiving the memorial scholarship.

Scott Lyons, Coordinator of the Law Enforcement program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, presented the scholarships to the recipients. Scott is retiring in June from the college. He is the former Chief of Police in Duluth.

37

Where Are They Now?

Retired Chief , Kel Keena

By Kel Keena, Chief of Police, Detroit Lakes (ret.)

Tell us about how you got started in law enforcement and your career.

In May of 1981, I graduated from Moorhead State University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. I attended Hibbing VoTech that summer for a “Skills Course.” My first position in law enforcement was February to December,1982 as police chief in Kindred, ND. Kindred was a small town about 30 miles southwest of Fargo. I was their lone officer. I was, as many were in those days, literally given a gun and badge and wished good luck by the

mayor. I learned the “ropes” by riding along with a county deputy on my days off.

In December 1982, I was hired by the St. Cloud Police Department (SCPD) which consisted of about 60 officers at the time. SCPD had a formal full-time officer program (FTO) of three months much as most departments do today.

I spent 14 years with SCPD serving as a patrolman and sergeant. I was fortunate to work several assignments as a sergeant, patrol, background investigator, internal affairs sergeant and CID sergeant.

In 1992, I was able to attend the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, KY 87th A.O.C. “Smoke Ernie.”

The confidence I gained connected my desire to become a police chief responsible for my own staff and community. I owed a lot to my mentor and chief, Dennis O’Keefe, but I also knew I was meant to “leave the nest” and lead others. I left and became the police chief in Detroit Lakes in July 1996.

Tell us about your departmenthighlights, changes, challenges, officers, etc.

Detroit Lakes Police Department (DLPD) had a long history of selecting chiefs from within and hadn’t faced the challenge of an outside chief in quite a while. My mandate was to “change and upgrade.” We made a lot of changes including technology, equipment, policies, facility upgrade, staff increase and accountability for behavior. DLPD had a good group of young officers who had been carefully selected by my predecessor, Walt Tollefson. They were hungry for modernization and they adapted quickly.

What were your duties?

My duties were primarily leadership, budgeting, public relations, working with the city council and other department heads. I worked in uniform, drove a marked squad and assisted my officers when needed. I never felt I was above taking a call

Chief Keena with Lucy after a hunt

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minnESOTA police chief

when necessary. Although, my men had a strong tradition of making sure the “old man” didn’t have to answer calls, I think they appreciated it when they were swamped.

Please share with us how the department and the community interact. How they work together, challenges, how population affects policing now, in the past and changes to the future.

Detroit Lakes has a number of unique factors that affect how we worked in the community. First, it’s a small town of only 8,000 souls.

Second, the vast majority of DLPD personnel are locally born and raised in Detroit Lakes or the surrounding areas. Their values are synonymous.

DLPD was, and remained under my watch, very service oriented. We continued to do vehicle unlocks, funeral escorts and medical emergency response. Those things endeared us to our residents and as a result they were very giving and forgiving to the DLPD. Probably the most unique of all factors is that Detroit Lakes is a tourist attraction nearly year-round, but especially during the summer.

From June through September our calls for service tripled. Several large

events from the Fourth of July to We Fest could easily draw an additional 10-50,000 people to our city. It takes a special group of officers, deputies, troopers and even DNR officers to police these events and we always did it well. Personally, I was blessed with an excellent mayor and council who trusted me to do the job and stood behind our department through thick and thin.

I think technology has made our jobs easier. During my career, I considered cell phones a powerful

What event makes you most proud of in your career?

The things that made me most proud were the achievements of subordinates under my command. I loved to coach and give them all the tools they needed to success plus the

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What changes, good or bad, have you seen in law enforcement during your career?

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Where Are They Now?

tool. Now I’m not so sure. It seems our younger officers have lost the ability to relate to and empathize with people. They only know their phone and its apps. It’s making them less approachable. The best change has been increased professionalism through education and training. Along with more female officers within the profession.

Tell us what you are most proud of in your career.

I am proud of becoming a professional leader, well respected by my community, department and peers and enjoying their appreciation for a job well done.

Has there been an event during your career that you would like to forget?

Unfortunately, shortly after I retired one of my officers and good friend committed suicide. It seemed there was no indications and I’m still puzzled why.

How did the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) serve you while you were chief.

Probably the most important service was the network of peers, as a new chief, I could call upon to discuss issues. The comradeship at the yearly Executive Training Institute (ETI) was an annual, much needed break.

Eventually, I was elected and served on the board of directors for nine years at the encouragement of Chief Chuck

Nettestad from Alexandria Police Department and Chief John Wagner of Fergus Falls Police Department. Riding to St. Paul and Woodbury to the board meetings with these two much older and more experienced chiefs was where I learned many wise lessons. The MCPA kept me from becoming too narrowminded about policing issues we all face.

How did the education that the MCPA provides (Executive Training Institute and CLEO and Command Academy for instance) help you in your role as chief?

Lectures about succession planning and preparing to retire were most beneficial to me retiring and feeling good that I had left the city in good hands.

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was time to leave while still on top of my game. I retired 15 years to the date I had assumed the position; with 30 years in law enforcement. I was basically working for health insurance and a stipend.

Chief Keena and granddaughter Zoey

Was retiring a difficult transition for you?

No! According to my former secretary I was never around much anyway. I snowplow, work part-time and fish every weekend. I am still a pretty busy fellow every day.

How did you decide to retire?

I had fulfilled all my goals and there were no new challenges. My department was in good order and it

Is your

PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE ROOM up to standard?

How did you prepare for yourself and your department for your retirement?

I “dotted my i’s and crossed my t’s.”

My wife and I discussed a lot of things about retirement and she supported my decision 100 percent. I had given my council a year’s notice and stayed through our busy season to ensure a smooth transition for my successor.

If given three realistic wishes for your past department, what would they be?

An adequate budget, an ethical mayor, council people and city administrator, along with a supportive community, all make a policeman’s job easier.

What advice would you give to someone stepping into the role of chief of police?

I’d give the same advice I received

over 30 years ago from Barnesville Chief Floyd Erdmann in 1982, “take hold of the reins-you can always let off of them.”

What are your goals for the future?

To enjoy good health so I can continue to be a good husband, father and grandfather. To keep enjoying the freedom of being debt-free and beholding to no one. I hope to stay in touch with my retired peers and enjoy their company.

Are you staying connected professionally?

I am staying connected somewhat.

I work part-time at the courthouse and have a lot of contact with the community. I do lunch every quarter with retired chiefs. I still receive, read and appreciate the CNotes.

On occasion, I conduct background investigations for DLPD and neighboring agencies.

What do you do in your free time?

Seems like I have none! My wife and I babysit a granddaughter four days a

In 2011, the MN Office of the State Auditor issued best practices for handling evidence. Law enforcement agencies are now faced with the challenge of adhering to these best practices.

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Matt Mayer, CPA is a partner with KDV where he oversees the government audit practice group. He specializes in assisting law enforcement agencies in reviewing and managing policies and procedures to maintain the integrity of property and evidence rooms.

Questions? Contact Matt at 952.563.6873 or mmayer@kdv.com

Fall 2014

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Where Are They Now? week. I work part-time 18-20 hours per week and we escape to our camper and boat on Lake of the Woods each FridaySunday. We both enjoy fishing and the other retirees we camp with. I do make a couple of trips to Montana fly-fishing each year and I enjoy volunteer work with our “Let’s Go Fishing” chapter.

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Tell us about your family.

I’ve been married 32 years to my high school sweetheart Deb. Our son David and his wife Taryn blessed us with the perfect grandchild in October of 2012. They live here in Detroit Lakes.

Our daughter, Kayla, lives in Detroit Lakes also and works full time at our crisis center. We are all healthy and enjoy hunting, fishing and camping.

1:15 PM

Page 1

Psychological Services for Law Enforcement

President Gordon Ramsay

Chief of Police, Duluth 218/730-5020 Vice-President Hugo McPhee

Chief of Police, Three Rivers Park District 763/694-7730 Second Vice-President Rodney Seurer

Chief of Police, Savage 952/882-2600 Third Vice-President Michael Goldstein

Chief of Police, Plymouth 763/509-5160 Secretary David Ebinger

Chief of Police, Moorhead 218/299-5141 Treasurer Cari Gerlicher Director, Minnesota DOC-Special Investigations 651/642-0419 Sergeant-at-Arms Jeff Potts

Chief of Police, Bloomington 952/563-4901

• Pre-employment screening • Promotional and management assessments • Fitness-for-duty examinations • Validated by research • Psychological services for public safety since 1991 • Over 100 local, state and federal public safety agencies served

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The Minnesota Police Chief, the official magazine of The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, is published quarterly to serve the police leadership in Minnesota. Association members receive Minnesota Police Chief as a benefit of membership. The Minnesota Police Chief is published by the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association,1951 Woodlane Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125.

It is the policy of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association that all articles reflect only the views of the author and that publication of articles or advertisements within Minnesota Police Chief does not constitute endorsement by the Association or its agents of products, services, or views expressed herein. No representation is made as to the accuracy here of and the publication is printed subject to errors and omissions.

Dave Bentrud Chief of Police,Waite Park

320/229-2661

Tim Eggebraaten Chief of Police, Detroit Lakes

218/844-7407

Daniel Hatten Chief of Police, Hutchinson

320/587-2242

Eric Klang Chief of Police, Pequot Lakes

218/568-8111

Michael Risvold Chief of Police, Wayzata

952/404-5340

Paul Schnell Chief of Police, Maplewood

651/249-2602

Jeff Tate Chief of Police, Shakopee

952/233-9421

Chaplain Ex-Officio Pastor Dan Carlson MCPA 612/554-4405 Executive Director Andy Skoogman MCPA 651/457-0677

Editorial contributions to the Minnesota Police Chief are always welcome. Contributions should be sent to the Managing Editor and are subject to review and acceptance by the Magazine Committee. Editorial contributions will be handled with reasonable care; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for the safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts.

Senior Editor Betsy Pierre betsy@pierreproductions.com 763/295-5420

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Managing Editor Margaret Winchell margaret@pierreproductions.com 612/599-7332

Advertising Representative Erica Nelson erica@pierreproductions.com 763/497-1778

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