The Minnesota State Patrol is the primary state patrol agency for Minnesota and serves as the de facto state police for the state. While Minnesota State Patrol troopers have full powers of arrest throughout the state, their primary function is traffic safety and vehicle law enforcement. The State Patrol is a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.[6]
| Minnesota State Patrol | |
|---|---|
 Official Patch of the Minnesota State Patrol | |
 Minnesota Department of Public Safety Logo | |
| Abbreviation | MSP |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1929 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Employees | 886 (as of 2017)[1] |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | State of Minnesota, United States |
 | |
| Minnesota State Patrol Districts | |
| Size | 87,014 square miles (225,370 km2) |
| Population | 5,628,162 (2018 est.)[2] |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Troopers | 625 (authorized, as of 2024)[3] |
| Civilian employees | 295 (as of 2017)[4] |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Minnesota Department of Public Safety |
| Patrol Districts | 11 |
| Facilities | |
| Stations | 61 |
| Website | |
| Minnesota State Patrol | |
History
editThe Minnesota Highway Patrol was created in 1929 when Charles M. Babcock, the Commissioner of Highways, appointed Earle Brown, Sheriff of Hennepin County, as Chief of the Highway Patrol. On July 1, 1929, Chief Brown appointed 8 officers. In 1973 the Highway Patrol was reorganized and the official name was changed to the Minnesota State Patrol.[7]
The first training school was held January 18 to April 1, 1930. This school graduated the first 35 members of the Minnesota Highway Patrol. [8]
The patch
editThe patch worn by members of the Minnesota State Patrol evolved from "The Great Seal" which is placed on all official state documents.[citation needed]
Notable incidents
editAccording to Bellingcat the Minnesota State Patrol was among the police departments which deliberately targeted journalists during the George Floyd protests.[9] In late May 2020, the Minnesota State Patrol was involved in policing the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul. The State Patrol slashed tires of at least several dozen unoccupied vehicles parked near protests, admitting their involvement around a week later. Several journalists' cars, including from the Star Tribune, had their tires slashed. The Patrol said that the tactic was not a usual one, but they implemented it to prevent vehicles from being used as weapons.[10][11]
Duties
edit[12] While the State Patrol concentrates primarily on traffic enforcement and highway safety it also has a statewide law enforcement role. Troopers are also involved with crash reconstruction and commercial vehicle enforcement. The State Patrol capitol security division also handles the security for the Minnesota State Capitol complex and the Governor. Additionally, the State Patrol maintains a K-9 unit that focuses on drug enforcement interdiction, as well as a Special Response Team (SRT), that operates like a traditional SWAT Team.[13] Troopers are issued the Glock 17 Gen 5 9mm sidearm.
Organization
editThe State Patrol is headquartered in St. Paul. There are 11 Patrol Districts throughout the state, with 61 Patrol Stations. The current State Patrol Chief is Colonel Matthew Langer.[14] Each district office is led by a Captain and is staffed with troopers and investigators, along with communication and support staff to assist in the patrol's missions.[15] The Headquarters and State Patrol Command Staff are within District 2000, along with the Flight Section, Investigative Services Section, and Training & Development.
Patrol Districts
editState Patrol Chief
editSince 1929, the State Patrol has been commanded by the State Patrol Chief, who has the rank of Colonel. The Colonel reports directly to the Minnesota Commissioner of Public Safety, who is appointed by the governor and serves in the Governor's Cabinet. In 1997, Anne L. Beers was appointed Chief of the State Patrol, as the first woman to hold the rank of Commander of a State Police Agency in U.S.[16] The following is a list of those that have held the title of State Patrol Chief:
| Name | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Earle Brown | 1929–1933 |
| John Arnoldy | 1933–1938 |
| Martin Murray | 1938–1939 |
| Eldon Row | 1939–1945 |
| Earl E. Larimer | 1945–1954 |
| Paul R. Martz | 1954–1960 |
| Leo M. Smith | 1960–1966 |
| John S. Harbinson | 1966–1973 |
| James C. Crawford | 1973–1979 |
| D. Roger Ledding | 1979–1989 |
| Kevin L. Kittridge | 1989–1991 |
| Anthony Kozojed | 1991–1993 |
| Mike P. Chabries | 1993–1997 |
| Anne L. Beers | 1997–2005 |
| Steve Mengelkoch | 2005 |
| Mark Dunaski | 2005–2011 |
| Kevin Daly | 2011–2015 |
| Matt Langer | 2015–2024 |
| Christina Bogojevic | 2024–present |
Rank structure
edit| Rank | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Colonel | 
|
| Lieutenant Colonel | 
|
| Major | 
|
| Captain | 
|
| Lieutenant | 
|
| Sergeant | |
| Trooper |
Note: Each state patrol district station has 1 sergeant who oversees all station operations. The official field supervisors throughout the district are lieutenants.
Fallen troopers
editSince the establishment of the Minnesota State Patrol, eight troopers have died while on duty.[17]
| Rank | Name | Date of Death | Cause of Death | Age | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trooper | William S. Kozlak | 04-25-1934 | Killed in a motorcycle crash | 32 | On Minnesota Highway 52 near Osseo, Minnesota |
| Trooper | Roy C. Lichtenheld | 10-03-1934 | Killed in a motorcycle crash | 30 | On Snelling Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Trooper | Ray X.F. Krueger | 11-20-1959 | Killed in a head-on car crash | 47 | On Minnesota Highway 210 near Brainerd, Minnesota |
| Trooper | Glen A. Skalman | 12-27-1964 | Succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on 12-17-1964 during a traffic stop | 29 | On US-61 near Forest Lake, Minnesota |
| Trooper | Donald Bert Ziesmer | 10-15-1973 | Shot and killed while sitting in his patrol car on a traffic stop | 46 | On Minnesota Highway 61 along the north shore of Lake Superior |
| Trooper | Roger Curtis Williams | 02-22-1978 | Struck and killed by an out-of-control vehicle while helping a motorist change a flat tire | 53 | On I-94 near Brandon, Minnesota |
| Corporal | Timothy Joseph Bowe | 06-07-1997 | Shot and killed as he and 3 county deputies approached a house where a shooting was reported | 36 | 10 miles east of Cambridge, Minnesota in Chisago County |
| Corporal | Theodore Joseph "Ted" Foss | 08-31-2000 | Struck and killed by a tractor trailer while on a traffic stop | 35 | On I-90 near Lewiston, Minnesota[18] |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "About - About".
- ^ "Minnesota Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)".
- ^ "New Minnesota State Patrol chief is second female leader in its history". 29 April 2024.
- ^ "About - About".
- ^ "News Releases - Commissioner Dohman Appoints New Directors".
- ^ "About". Minnesota State Patrol. Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
- ^ "About - History Timeline".
- ^ The Minnesota State Patrol Trooper's Association site
- ^ Waters, Nick (31 May 2020). "US Law Enforcement Are Deliberately Targeting Journalists During George Floyd Protests". www.bellingcat.com. Bellingcat. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Kasprak, Alex (June 8, 2020). "Did Police Slash Tires at Minneapolis Protests?". Snopes. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ Walsh, Paul (June 8, 2020). "Officers slashed tires on vehicles parked amid Minneapolis protests, unrest". The Star Tribune. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ "2011-Present". MaroonCruisers.com. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
- ^ "MSP Home - Pages - Minnesota State Patrol - Home".
- ^ "About - Chiefs of the State Patrol".
- ^ "Contact - District Map and Contacts".
- ^ "About - History Timeline".
- ^ The Officer Down Memorial Page
- ^ Christenson, Jerome (2024-02-26). "After 15 years, trooper's death is a reminder". Winona Daily News.
External links
edit- Minnesota State Patrol (Official site)
- Minnesota State Patrol Trooper's Association
- Officer Down Memorial Page - Minnesota State Patrol
- MaroonCruisers.com - MN State Patrol Cruiser History website