Police pursuits in Minnesota and nationwide have continued to capture attention due to the rising number of pursuits, resulting accidents and injuries, and the questionable need. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) compiles a statistical uniform crime report each year detailing the amount of criminal activity, including police pursuits, in the state. According to the most recent report published in September 2023, there were 2,768 agency-initiated pursuits and 388 agency-assisted pursuits, for a total of 3,156 pursuits in 2022. This is a 315% increase over 2012, when police en ..read more

Guest post by Lora Setter, LMCIT public safety program coordinator I previously wrote about when my flight from Hartford, Conn. to Minneapolis was canceled. The pilots ran out of time. For pilots, running out of time means they’ve reached their 10-hour fly time limit. When two pilots are flying together, they can fly up to 10 hours. If flying solo, they are grounded at eight hours. Pilots’ hours are restricted because their job affects the safety of others. They need to be well-rested to safely perform their job duties, as people’s lives depend on them.  Check In On Your Sleep Hab ..read more

Guest post by Lora Setter, LMCIT public safety program coordinator I was surprised to learn that the practice of making New Year’s resolutions dates back 4,000 years to Babylonian times. Though the Babylonians celebrated the start of the new year in March, resolutions throughout the centuries appear to maintain a common theme of people wanting to be better. A current resolution for many people, especially coming out of the holiday season, is to exercise more and eat healthier. Health clubs and gyms see a spike in memberships in January.  January not only starts a new year, but it’s also ..read more

Guest post by Lora Setter, LMCIT public safety program coordinator January is Mental Wellness Month. It’s a month dedicated to focusing on mental health. A time to prioritize positive mental health habits such as exercise, connecting with friends, practicing mindfulness, and paying close attention to how you’re feeling. It’s a time to consider if you can better manage your mental health by practicing healthy habits or if you need professional help to feel better. While mental wellness is important for everyone, it’s a particular focus for people in the public safety profession.  Respondi ..read more

Guest post by Lora Setter, LMCIT public safety coordinator Listening to holiday music recently, I heard the announcer say that the holidays are “about peace, love, joy, and family.” Though I don’t disagree, for many people the holiday season can be anything but peaceful and joyful. This is especially true for first responders like police officers, firefighters, and emergency services personnel. For public safety people, the holidays may seem to be more about car accidents, DWI arrests, shoplifting calls, disputes, house fires, and other tragic events in the communities they serve.  Along ..read more

Body-worn cameras continue to be a useful tool in many police departments across the country. These cameras enhance transparency with their communities and gather evidence at crime scenes and during citizen encounters. Although state law offers significant guidance on policies governing law enforcement use of body-worn cameras and the resulting data, changes made to Minnesota laws in 2023 have made the laws more complicated, particularly with respect to data administration issues including data classifications, access procedures, retention policies, and data security safeguards.  Ag ..read more

The Minnesota Legislature recently approved the establishment of a program within the Department of Public Safety to fund the law enforcement education and training of two- and four-year college graduates. The program, known as the Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training (ICPOET) Program, is intended to address the critical shortage of peace officers in the state. Grants of up to $50,000 available  The ICPOET Program, established under Minn. State § 626.8516, provides grants to local and tribal law enforcement agencies that have developed a plan to recruit, educ ..read more

A training safety officer  observes firearms training in New Prague.  Training safety continues to be a major concern for police departments across the country. There have recently been serious training incidents, including deaths, in California, Texas, and Florida. Before that there were incidents in Illinois, Georgia, Missouri, and Virginia, along with many other states as the list goes on and on to include Minnesota. Police training needs to be as realistic as possible and, as a result, has become more intense and scenario based. Training needs to be realistic whether i ..read more

Guest post by Lora Setter, public safety program coordinator for the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust Public safety professionals face many job-related stressors that can negatively impact their mental health and well-being. Emotional injuries and suicide among public safety professionals are a significant concern. In fact, a 2017 study found that police officers and firefighters were more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. In observance of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, NAMI Minnesota invites the public to register for a series of free virtual ..read more

There are many special rules and considerations that apply when policing First Amendment-protected activities.  Law enforcement officers have dual and sometimes conflicting responsibilities. They must safeguard First Amendment rights while also making sure protesters do not violate the rights of others or cause violence. Policing protests requires careful planning and consideration of participants’ First Amendment rights. It is important to prepare a detailed operations plan to guide all officers involved in an event. Many Minnesota cities have also banned targeted residential protests i ..read more