The Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD) is the main law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. It was established in 1854, making it the oldest police organization in the state. The SPPD is the second largest law enforcement agency in Minnesota, after the Minneapolis Police Department. The department consists of 615 sworn officers and 200 non-sworn officials. The current Chief of Police is Todd Axtell. He succeeded Thomas E. Smith, who had been the department's chief since 2010.
Command Structure
Saint Paul Police Women Recruitment - For more information on how you can become a Saint Paul Police Officer, please contact SPPD-CommunityEngagementUnit@ci.stpaul.mn.us or call 651-266-5485â€
NOTE: Current contract allows for a lieutenant rank, but the rank is NOT currently in use by the department. By contract, all investigators (detectives) hold the rank of sergeant.
- Uniformed sergeants' time in this grade is shown by arcs below the chevrons, one for each 5 years, after three then by a diamond then star in the field between them, in a manner analogous to the uniforms of the United States Army.
Department Awards
The department has only issued medals / awards since 1971. The current medals are:
- Medal of Valor Class A
- Medal of Merit Class B
- Medal of Commendation
- Life Saving Award
- Chief's Award For Valor
- Chief's Award For Merit
- Chief's Award
- Officer of the Year
- Detective of the Year
- Civilian Employee of the year
Department Size
Like most major cities, the city of St. Paul saw a population decline beginning in the late 1960s. However, the police department has continued to grow. The current police chief also has a hiring push underway to increase the size of the force.
Slain officers/Died on Duty
Misconduct
A lawsuit alleges that on 13 July 2010, SPPD officers took part in a drug raid on a residence, the problem was that the police raided the wrong home. The family living there was entirely innocent. Following the raid, the family filed a complaint. That complaint indicated that the police handcuffed the family including the minor children, and that the police kept one of the children from that child's medication. Also indicating that the police shot and killed the family dog during the raid, which traumatized the children, The officers further traumatized the children of the home by forcing them to sit next to the body of the dead family pet for hours.
An arrest outside of a bar on 26 September 2010 is the subject of a lawsuit that claims excessive force.
In March 2011, the elite Gang Strike Force was disestablished when a state audit could not account for 13 vehicles and over $18,000 in cash the unit had seized. The auditor's report indicated that Officer Ron Ryan had sold property his detail had retained. Press reports indicated the unit used money taken from gang members to attend a 2009 professional conference held in Hawaii.
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in Minnesota
References
External links
- Saint Paul Police Department
- Saint Paul Police Historical Society
- Saint Paul Police Foundation
- Saint Paul Police Federation
- Saint Paul Police Reserve
- Rare 1941 stop-motion animation color film entitled, "St. Paul Police Detectives and Their Work: A Color Chartoon"