Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

History

Patrick D. McGowan (R) was elected sheriff in 1995.

The HCSO was a major component of the Metro Gang Strike Force, which was created by the state legislature in 2005 after the Minnesota Gang Strike Force was dissolved. It was shut down in 2009 due to rampant corruption and abuse. In 2010, a $3 million settlement was reached between the agencies that made up the Strike Force and 96 individuals who claimed to be victims of misconduct by the Strike Force.

Richard W. Stanek (R) was elected sheriff in 2007. Later in 2007, Sheriff Stanek used $30,000 of civil forfeiture funds that were earmarked for training to produce a video on the I-35W Mississippi River bridge; this incurred criticism from the mayor of Minneapolis R.T. Rybak and Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan, who claimed the video contained false information and stole credit from the city government. The company that produced the video was also used by Stanek for his 2006 campaign.

2016 deployment to North Dakota

In October 2016, the HCSO provided support from its special operations division in response to North Dakota officials' mutual aid requests, for the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, causing an outcry from Hennepin County citizens and leaders. HCSO deputies were deployed to Morton County, North Dakota, along with deputies from neighboring Anoka and Washington Counties, from October 23–31, 2016 as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact agreement between the state governments of Minnesota and North Dakota.

Hundreds of citizens protested daily at Hennepin County Government Center and Minneapolis City Hall Among political leaders opposed to Sheriff Stanek's decision were Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Keith Ellison, state Representative Peggy Flanagan, state Representative Karen Clark, state Senator Patricia Torres Ray, Minneapolis City Council members Alondra Cano and Cameron Gordon, Civil rights organizer Clyde Bellecourt and Hennepin County commissioners Marion Greene, Linda Higgins, and Peter McLaughlin who, in a Facebook post said, "Indian Nations have a special interest in this issue and that interest must be protected! There's plenty for the Sheriff to do here in Hennepin County," said McLaughlin. "It is not a priority use of the Sheriff's office resources, which the Sheriff controls by virtue of his election.

An online petition by Honor the Earth called on the Sheriff's department to desist in its participation.

In response, Sheriff Stanek issued a statement explaining that his office responded to the request from North Dakota to maintain "the public's safety, preserve the peace, and protect the constitutional rights of protesters" and that the deployment was a routine mutual aid agreement between law enforcement agencies. Minnesota deputies were released from their duties in Morton County on October 31 after the state fulfilled its part of the EMAC agreement. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton stated in an interview that the deployment was a routine mutual aid response, and that "It sounds like they conducted themselves very professionally." Financially, North Dakota eventually reimbursed Hennepin County for the salaries of the officers sent there, but not for the overtime hours needed by the officers who remained behind on duty in Hennepin County.

George Floyd

The HCSO was among the agencies that responded to the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul in 2020. Later, the HCSO was responsible for taking custody of Derek Chauvin and the three Minneapolis Police officers who failed to intervene during the murder of George Floyd.

2021 – present

In December 2021, Sheriff Hutchinson pled guilty to a misdemeanor DWI charge after crashing his vehicle near Alexandria, Minnesota. He was sentenced to two years of probation. Although the crash report showed that Hutchinson was driving 125 mph at the time, he was not charged for extreme speed. Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan called for his resignation, Hutchinson announced he would not seek reelection. In November 2022, Dawanna Witt was elected as the 29th Sheriff of Hennepin County, making her the first woman and person of color to hold the position.

Awards and honors

U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services Demonstration Site

HCSO was named one of 15 nationwide demonstration sites for "policing in the 21st Century" by the COPS Office of the federal Department of Justice.

2016 IACP/Booz Allen Hamilton Award for the Outstanding Prevention of Terrorism

HCSO, along with the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Police Departments, was presented the 2016 Outstanding Achievement in the Prevention of Terrorism Award by the International Association of Chiefs of Police at the IACP national conference in San Diego. The award is given annually by IACP to one domestic U.S., and one international law enforcement agency.

2019 ASIS International Public-Private Partnership Excellence Grant in honor of Matthew Simeone

HCSO was granted the ASIS International Public-Private Partnership Award in recognition of its Shield program, which builds relationships between law enforcement and local businesses and security providers. The award was presented at the annual ASIS conference in Chicago.

Notes

References

1. "What We Do". Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
2. Hughes, Art. (2004-09-29). "Government Center shooting brought security changes". Minnesota Public Radio.
3. Mador, Jessica. (2007-04-13). "Hennepin County foreclosures on pace to double". Minnesota Public Radio.
4. Miller, Kristen. (2017-12-07). "Hennepin County considers shift in management of forensic services".
5. (2009-08-20). "The Collapse of the Metro Gang Strike Force".
6. Hanners, David. (2009-08-25). "How did the Metro Gang Strike Force lose its way? Lawmakers hope to find answers".
7. James Nobles, Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA). (May 20, 2009). "Metro Gang Strike Force Special Review". State of Minnesota.
8. Nelson, Tim. (2010-08-25). "Gang Strike Force victims reach $3M settlement".
9. Furst, Randy. (2012-08-05). "Payouts reveal brutal, rogue Metro Gang Strike Force".
10. Kaszuba, Mike. (December 15, 2007). "Some smell politics in Stanek's $30,000 training video". Star Tribune.
11. Collins, Bob. (December 20, 2007). "Stanek's training video". MPR News.
12. (2016-10-26). "Metro county deputies deployed to North Dakota pipeline protests". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
13. (25 October 2016). "HCSO Faces Backlash After Sending Deputies To Standing Rock". CBS-Local.
14. (12 October 2016). "Protests Disrupt Pipelines Across The Northern U.S.". National Public Radio News.
15. Williams, Brandt. (2016-11-01). "Minnesota sheriffs defend giving help to police at Standing Rock". Minnesota Public Radio.
16. Dupuy, Beatrice. (October 29, 2016). "Pipeline protesters angry with Hennepin County sheriff pack Minneapolis City Hall". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
17. Bornhoft, William. (28 October 2016). "Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Blasts Lt. Gov. Tina Smith over Dakota Access Pipeline Involvement". Minneapolis Patch.
18. (2016-10-28). "Demonstrators echo N.D. Pipeline protest at Minneapolis City Hall". Minnesota Public Radio.
19. (2016-10-25). "Cameron Gordon Facebook Post". Cameron Gordon Facebook Page.
20. (2016-10-25). "Marion Green Facebook Post". Marion Greene Facebook Page.
21. (October 24, 2016). "Peter McLaughlin Facebook Post". Peter McLaughlin Facebook Page.
22. "ACTION ALERT: Call on Hennepin County to Withdraw Forces from Standing Rock!".
23. (October 24, 2016). "Hennepin County deputies deployed to North Dakota pipeline protests". Fox 9 News.
24. Chanen, David. (November 1, 2016). "Politics played no role in deputies sent to North Dakota pipeline protest, sheriffs say". Minneapolis Star Tribune.
25. Williams, Brandt. (October 31, 2016). "Hennepin Co. sheriff's deputies leave Standing Rock protest". Minnesota Public Radio.
26. Davis, Don. (November 1, 2016). "After pipeline protest, Minnesota deputies return home to criticism". West Fargo Pioneer.
27. Eischens, Rilyn. (2021-05-27). "One year later, few charges for the arson and destruction".
28. (2021-04-21). "Derek Chauvin cuffed after murder, manslaughter convictions in death of George Floyd".
29. Sullivan, Becky. (2022-02-24). "Three ex-Minneapolis police officers guilty of violating George Floyd's civil rights". NPR.
30. Addy, Jason. (2022-01-21). "Sheriff Hutchinson Escaped 'Extreme Speed' Charge After DWI Crash".
31. (2022-01-21). "'Breach of Trust': Walz, Flanagan Call For Hutchinson To Resign".
32. Brown, Kyle. (2022-02-08). "Hennepin County commissioners to discuss Sheriff Hutchinson in closed meeting".
33. (8 November 2022). "Dawanna Witt will become Hennepin County's next sheriff".
34. "Building Blocks of Community Policing". U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office.
35. Palm, Brent. (2016-10-18). "Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Receives Prevention of Terrorism Award". KSTP-TV.
36. "IACP Booz Allen Hamilton Outstanding Achievement in the Prevention of Terrorism Award". International Association of Chiefs of Police.
37. "2019 ASIS Foundation Scholarship & Grant Recipients".