kev|ew of the I8I]MS Safe Streets 1ask Iorce

Cn CcLober 11 2011 l meL wlLh Lhe supervlsors of Lhe l8l/MS Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce
aL Lhelr offlce ln Mlnneapolls MlnnesoLa l spoke lndlvldually wlLh Lhe Safe SLreeLs 1ask
lorce supervlsors from Lhe Mlnneapolls and SL aul ollce ueparLmenLs and Lhe l8l
uurlng Lhe preparaLlon of Lhls reporL l also relled upon dlscusslons abouL Lhe l8l Safe
SLreeLs 1ask lorce LhaL l have had wlLh former and currenL employees members of
oLher meLro area Lask forces and rosecuLlng ALLorneys aL Lhe Mlnneapolls unlLed
SLaLes ALLorney's Cfflce

1hls revlew of Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce dlffers from Lhe revlews of Lhe oLher Lask
forces ln LhaL Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce was noL requlred Lo meeL Lhe same
cerLlflcaLlon requlremenLs as Lhe oLher funded Lask forces were ln 2010 because Lhe l8l
Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce was new and [usL beglnnlng lLs operaLlons AddlLlonally
because lL was deslgned Lo operaLe under Lhe supervlslon conLrol and pollcles of Lhe
l8l lL was noL sub[ecL Lo overslghL by Lhe vlolenL Crlme CoordlnaLlng Councll (vCCC)
nor was lL requlred Lo adopL Lhe CperaLlng rocedures and Culdellnes Manual as Lhe
vCCC requlres of Lhe oLher funded Lask forces ln MlnnesoLa

uurlng Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce revlew l evaluaLed many of Lhe same areas LhaL l
revlewed durlng recenL revlews of oLher funded Lask forces ln MlnnesoLa 1he revlews
of Lhe oLher Lask forces have all been based upon Lhe same besL pracLlces LhaL are
conLalned ln Lhe CperaLlng rocedures and Culdellnes Manual LhaL Lhe oLher funded
Lask forces have been requlred Lo adopL 8ased upon my revlew of Lhe overslghL
supervlslon and operaLlons of Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce ln con[uncLlon wlLh Lhe
lnformaLlon l have obLalned ln dlscusslons wlLh oLhers famlllar wlLh Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs
1ask lorce operaLlons l have ldenLlfled several deflclencles LhaL musL be addressed

ueflclencles ln Lhe followlng areas are of lmmedlaLe concern

1 vers|ght 1he pro[ecL descrlpLlon for Lhe Mlnneapolls ollce ueparLmenL vC1l
l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce LhaL was submlLLed Lo Lhe MlnnesoLa ueparLmenL of
ubllc SafeLy Cfflce of !usLlce rograms ln !une 2010 ldenLlfles a flvemember
Advlsory 8oard LhaL would meeL quarLerly wlLh mlnuLes Laken aL Lhose meeLlngs
ln my dlscusslons wlLh Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce Supervlsors AsslsLanL
unlLed SLaLes ALLorneys and some of Lhe parLlclpanLs llsLed as Advlsory 8oard
members lL ls apparenL LhaL slnce l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce operaLlons
commenced Lhere have been no Advlsory 8oard meeLlngs 1he lack of Advlsory
8oard lnvolvemenL leaves Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce wlLh no ouLslde
overslghL of operaLlons or Lhe selecLlon of LargeLs and prosecuLlons no formal
meLhod for confllcL resoluLlon and no regular forum for dlscusslons abouL
sLraLegy problems or allocaLlons of resources More lmporLanLly wlLhouL
regular Advlsory 8oard meeLlngs Lask force personnel have nowhere Lo go oLher
Lhan Lo Lhelr respecLlve agencles for asslsLance or advlce on maLLers LhaL may
affecL all members of Lhe Lask force 1haL ls why Advlsory 8oards exlsL

2 Superv|s|on Accordlng Lo Lhe MCu LhaL governs Lhe l8l 1wln ClLles Safe SLreeLs
vlolenL Cang 1ask lorce Lhe l8l ls tespooslble fot ovetoll moooqemeot of Lhe
Lask force and sboll Jeslqoote ooe 5opetvlsoty 5peclol Aqeot (55A) to sopetvlse
tbe oJmlolsttotloo ooJ tbe Jolly opetotloool tespooslbllltles of tbe 1osk lotce
AddlLlonally sopetvlsloo of tbe petsoooel osslqoeJ to tbe 1osk lotce wlll be
tbe sboteJ tespooslblllty of tbe tookloq tosk fotce membets ftom eocb
pottlclpotloq oqeocy

1he currenL l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce supervlslon conslsLs of an l8l Speclal
AgenL a LleuLenanL from Lhe Mlnneapolls ollce ueparLmenL and a Commander
from Lhe SL aul ollce ueparLmenL ln early 2011 Lhe l8l SSA asslgned Lo
supervlse Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce was reasslgned Slnce Lhen LhaL
poslLlon has been vacanL and a l8l Speclal AgenL LhaL was asslgned Lo Lhe l8l
Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce has been servlng ln a dual roleboLh as Lhe
admlnlsLraLlve coordlnaLor and Lhe AcLlng SSA WlLh Lhree people servlng ln
seemlngly equal supervlsory roles Lhere ls no clear leader or declslonmaker for
many Lask force lssues 1hls ls a crlLlcal overslghL lssue LhaL musL be addressed
and declded by Lhe Advlsory 8oard

1he lengLh of Lhe SSA vacancy aL Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce has some
people boLh lnslde and ouLslde Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce quesLlonlng Lhe
depLh of Lhe commlLmenL of Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce pro[ecL

3 1arget Se|ect|on Accordlng Lo Lhe MCu 1be l8l 55A ooJ tbe Mlu ooJ 5llu
5opetvlsots wlll collobotote to Jetetmloe wblcb vloleot qooqs ot qtoops wlll be
totqeteJ fot lovestlqotloo by tbe 1osk lotce 1oqetbet tbey wlll exetclse ptopet
Jecoofllctloo wltb otbet pettloeot low eofotcemeot oqeocles

uurlng dlscusslons wlLh Lhe Lhree supervlsors durlng Lhe revlew Lhey each
admlLLed LhaL Lhey have never saL down LogeLher Lo dlscuss LargeL selecLlon nor
have Lhey ever scheduled regular meeLlngs Lo dlscuss Lask force lssues or
lnvesLlgaLlve sLraLegles When l lnqulred abouL how LargeLs are selecLed Lhe
lndlvldual responses made lL qulLe apparenL LhaL Lhere ls llLLle collaboraLlon
beLween agencles regardlng LargeL selecLlon and ln several cases LargeLlng
declslons are made based upon lnformaLlon offered up by lnformanLs l am also
lefL wlLh Lhe lmpresslon LhaL more emphasls ls glven Lo keeplng resources ln Lhe
respecLlve clLles raLher Lhan Lo regularly sharlng experLlse personnel and
resources collecLlvely Lo lnvesLlgaLe and prosecuLe crlmlnal organlzaLlons
wherever Lhey operaLe Clven Lhe large commlLmenL of personnel and flnanclal
resources LhaL may be requlred for some lnvesLlgaLlons case selecLlon and
prosecuLlon declslons should lnvolve Lhe Advlsory 8oard and noL be lefL solely Lo
Lhe 1ask lorce supervlsors and offlcers

Commanders of oLher meLro area Lask forces have expressed Lo me Lhelr
frusLraLlons regardlng crossover of lnvesLlgaLlons Many are unclear abouL Lhe
role of Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce especlally slnce Lhere are several agencles
and Lask forces LhaL appear Lo be LargeLlng Lhe same crlmes crlmlnal and
organlzaLlons

4 ommun|cat|on 1here ls a clear lack of communlcaLlon lnslde and ouLslde of Lhe
l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce l clLe Lhe followlng examples
1 1here ls no communlcaLlon or meeLlngs beLween Lhe Advlsory 8oard and
Lhe Lask force supervlsors or personnel
2 1he Lhree supervlsors do noL regularly meeL Lo dlscuss pendlng lssues
plan Lask force operaLlons or Lo selecL poLenLlal LargeLs
3 1ask force supervlsors are aware of a dlsagreemenL regardlng Lhe sharlng
of a cash selzure Lven Lhough Lhey work ln Lhe same offlce Lhey have
never seL aslde Llme Lo dlscuss and resolve Lhls lssue
4 l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce supervlsors and offlcers Lold me LhaL because
of Lhe compeLlLlve naLure of sLaLlsLlcs drlven sLreeL operaLlons oLher Lask
forces and even oLher unlLs wlLhln Lhelr own deparLmenLs are proLecLlve
of Lhelr case lnformaLlon and do noL pass on lnformaLlon or lnformanLs
LhaL would be beneflclal Lo Lhelr cases
3 1he ro[ecL Mlsslon SLaLemenL ls qulLe broad lrom my dlscusslons wlLh
Lask force personnel lL ls apparenL LhaL people who work Lhere have
dlfferlng oplnlons regardlng exacLly whaL Lhelr mlsslon ls

3 rosecut|on 8ased upon my meeLlngs wlLh l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce
Supervlsors Cfflcers and AsslsLanL unlLed SLaLes ALLorneys lL ls qulLe clear LhaL
Lhere ls a loL of confllcL and frusLraLlon over declslons regardlng Lhe prosecuLlon
of cases Whlle each has some valld concerns Lhere ls no mechanlsm for
addresslng Lhe lssues regardlng case prosecuLlons and decllnaLlons AlLhough
Lhere have been lnfrequenL meeLlngs Lo address some lndlvldual cases Lhere are
no regularly scheduled meeLlngs where prosecuLlon lssues and dlsagreemenLs
can be dlscussed and resolved before Lhey do furLher damage Lo professlonal
worklng relaLlonshlps

ueclslons regardlng LargeL selecLlon lnvesLlgaLlve Lechnlques allocaLlon of
resources and prosecuLlon are made besL when Lhey are dlscussed on Lhe fronL
end of ma[or lnvesLlgaLlons Laklng advanLage of Lhe collecLlve wlsdom and
experlence of Lhe offlcers Lhe prosecuLor and Lhe admlnlsLraLors 1haL ls
anoLher reason why lL ls crlLlcal LhaL Lhe Advlsory 8oard lmmedlaLely assume a
leadershlp role and begln Lo meeL on a regular basls Lo provlde opporLunlLles for
such dlscusslons

l suspecL LhaL a more comprehenslve revlew of Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce mlghL
ldenLlfy addlLlonal albelL less crlLlcal areas where operaLlons mlghL noL comply wlLh Lhe
guldellnes and expecLaLlons Lhe vCCC has seL for Lhe oLher Lask force operaLlons or wlLh
Lhe appllcaLlon and ro[ecL uescrlpLlon LhaL Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce submlLLed
when lL was lnlLlally approved for fundlng

AlLhough Lhe l8l pollcles are enforced for Lhe federal lnvesLlgaLlons conducLed by Lhe
l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce personnel many cases lnvesLlgaLed by Lhe Lask force offlcers
do noL meeL l8l Lhreshold crlLerla and are Lherefore lnvesLlgaLed wlLhouL l8l
supervlslon 1ask lorce offlcers Lhen rely upon Lhelr local pollcles as Lhelr gulde 1he l8l
Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce conslsLs of law enforcemenL personnel from Lhree addlLlonal
agenclesLhe Mlnneapolls ollce ueparLmenL Lhe SL aul ollce ueparLmenL and Lhe
8CA 1haL accounLs for four dlfferenL seLs of pollcles LhaL mlghL apply Lo l8l Safe SLreeLs
1ask lorce personnel 1haL makes pollcy compllance dlfflculL and could even lead Lo
operaLlonal confllcLs durlng l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce operaLlons unllke Lhe oLher
funded Lask force pro[ecL ln MlnnesoLa Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce has noL been
requlred Lo adopL Lhe CverslghL Councll's CperaLlng rocedures and Culdellnes Manual

1he deflclencles referenced ln Lhls reporL are noL lnLended Lo dlsparage crlLlclze or
lndlcL Lhe work of Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce agenLs offlcers or supervlsors l know
many of Lhem personally and l hold Lhelr work and Lhe commlLmenL ln hlgh regard 1hey
work hard Lo produce good cases and Lo proLecL Lhelr communlLles 1he proof lles ln
several cases Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce has successfully lnvesLlgaLed and
prosecuLed

lmmedlaLe aLLenLlon Lo Lhe problem and deflclencles llsLed ln Lhls reporL and conLlnued
overslghL by Lhe Advlsory 8oard wlll enable Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce Lo operaLe ln
a more effecLlve manner Advlsory 8oard overslghL and managemenL wlll provlde a
forum for regular revlew and dlscusslon of lnvesLlgaLlve and prosecuLorlal lssues
lncrease communlcaLlon and mosL lmporLanLly ensure pollcy compllance and a worklng
envlronmenL LhaL wlll keep Lask force offlcers safe proLecLlng Lhelr careers along wlLh
Lhe lnLegrlLy of Lhe Lask force

l recommend LhaL we develop a sLraLegy for engaglng Lhe l8l/MS Safe SLreeLs Advlsory
8oard Lo geL Lhem Lo lmmedlaLely address Lhese problem areas and any oLhers LhaL
mlghL exlsL aL Lhe l8l Safe SLreeLs 1ask lorce

8ob 8ushman
SLaLewlde Cang urug CoordlnaLor
Mn ueparLmenL of ubllc SafeLy
Cfflce of !usLlce rograms