[Mpls] Mpls police refer brutality case to FBI

[ken bradley]

Posted on Wed, Oct. 15, 2003 Police refer brutality case to FBI BY AMY MAYRON Pioneer Press Allegations that Minneapolis police officers assaulted a drug suspect during a raid this week led Police Chief Robert Olson on Tuesday to announce he had asked the FBI to investigate the claims of officer misconduct. Olson said two officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after an alleged felony assault at a North Minneapolis home where officers were conducting a narcotics search warrant Monday afternoon. "I contacted the FBI to investigate because of the very, very serious allegation that was made," Olson said. "This incident was of such community interest that I felt it important to come forward to tell what I can tell." A witness to the incident said police severely beat and sexually assaulted one of the suspects at the house, which is in the area of 25th Avenue and Third Street North, a source with direct knowledge of the case said after the chief's news conference. It is not uncommon for people to accuse officers of misconduct, but it is unusual for the chief to announce such accusations in a public forum. A throng of reporters attended the news conference, as did Mayor R.T. Rybak, a half-dozen City Council members and several high-ranking police officials. Only Olson and Rybak spoke. Olson said he called the news conference to quell rumors about the incident and to share as many facts as he could. Late Monday afternoon, officers in the city's 4th Precinct raided a North Side home, where they found marijuana and a substance they suspected to be cocaine, he said. The officers arrested two men. Several people in the home were given citations on site, and two men were taken downtown. One of the men was cited and released, and the other was booked into the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of possession of narcotics. After he was booked, the man told a jail supervisor he had been criminally assaulted at the scene of the search warrant, Olson said. The chief would not elaborate on what type of assault occurred. "We're talking about a felony assault on an individual," he said. "It's a serious felony assault." The man did receive a medical examination, Olson said. The jail contacted police supervisors, and a preliminary investigation was launched immediately and continued into Tuesday morning, Olson said. By noon, Olson decided to hand all of the investigative materials over to the FBI. FBI spokesman Paul McCabe also would not elaborate on the incident. He confirmed only that his office was reviewing the matter and would consult with the U.S. attorney's office about it. Typically, allegations of misconduct are handled by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department. Olson said he talked briefly with Sheriff Patrick McGowan about the incident, but decided to pass it on to the FBI to "stay above any hint of impropriety." The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating a recent allegation of abuse of an inmate by a Hennepin County sheriff's deputy at the jail. During his roughly decade tenure as police chief, Olson said he has involved the FBI in such investigations about six times. Rybak made only a brief statement Tuesday, saying he was pleased with the way the chief had handled the incident. He reiterated that if wrongdoing were discovered, the officer or officers would be held accountable. Minneapolis police union President John Delmonico had not heard about the incident Tuesday. He said he thought the chief made the right decision announcing it quickly. Because a criminal allegation has been made, the union would not get involved, he said. Amy Mayron, who covers Minneapolis public safety, can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 612-338-6872. Posted on Wed, Oct. 15, 2003 Police refer brutality case to FBI BY AMY MAYRON Pioneer Press Allegations that Minneapolis police officers assaulted a drug suspect during a raid this week led Police Chief Robert Olson on Tuesday to announce he had asked the FBI to investigate the claims of officer misconduct. Olson said two officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after an alleged felony assault at a North Minneapolis home where officers were conducting a narcotics search warrant Monday afternoon. "I contacted the FBI to investigate because of the very, very serious allegation that was made," Olson said. "This incident was of such community interest that I felt it important to come forward to tell what I can tell." A witness to the incident said police severely beat and sexually assaulted one of the suspects at the house, which is in the area of 25th Avenue and Third Street North, a source with direct knowledge of the case said after the chief's news conference. It is not uncommon for people to accuse officers of misconduct, but it is unusual for the chief to announce such accusations in a public forum. A throng of reporters attended the news conference, as did Mayor R.T. Rybak, a half-dozen City Council members and several high-ranking police officials. Only Olson and Rybak spoke. Olson said he called the news conference to quell rumors about the incident and to share as many facts as he could. Late Monday afternoon, officers in the city's 4th Precinct raided a North Side home, where they found marijuana and a substance they suspected to be cocaine, he said. The officers arrested two men. Several people in the home were given citations on site, and two men were taken downtown. One of the men was cited and released, and the other was booked into the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of possession of narcotics. After he was booked, the man told a jail supervisor he had been criminally assaulted at the scene of the search warrant, Olson said. The chief would not elaborate on what type of assault occurred. "We're talking about a felony assault on an individual," he said. "It's a serious felony assault." The man did receive a medical examination, Olson said. The jail contacted police supervisors, and a preliminary investigation was launched immediately and continued into Tuesday morning, Olson said. By noon, Olson decided to hand all of the investigative materials over to the FBI. FBI spokesman Paul McCabe also would not elaborate on the incident. He confirmed only that his office was reviewing the matter and would consult with the U.S. attorney's office about it. Typically, allegations of misconduct are handled by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department. Olson said he talked briefly with Sheriff Patrick McGowan about the incident, but decided to pass it on to the FBI to "stay above any hint of impropriety." The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating a recent allegation of abuse of an inmate by a Hennepin County sheriff's deputy at the jail. During his roughly decade tenure as police chief, Olson said he has involved the FBI in such investigations about six times. Rybak made only a brief statement Tuesday, saying he was pleased with the way the chief had handled the incident. He reiterated that if wrongdoing were discovered, the officer or officers would be held accountable. Minneapolis police union President John Delmonico had not heard about the incident Tuesday. He said he thought the chief made the right decision announcing it quickly. Because a criminal allegation has been made, the union would not get involved, he said. Amy Mayron, who covers Minneapolis public safety, can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 612-338-6872.

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