The Minnesota Legislative Auditor issued a harsh critique of the Metro Gang Strike Force today, saying that it failed to develop basic internal controls that would ensure that it properly safeguarded or accounted for the seizure of cash, forfeited vehicles and other property.

The strike force was unable to account for at least $18,126 of seized cash and could not locate or support the legal disposition of at least 13 forfeited vehicles and one seized vehicle held as evidence, the legislative auditor said in a report released this morning.

The strike force also failed to comply with some finance-related legal requirements for seized and forfeited property, the report stated.

Two boards that oversee the strike force--the Minnesota Gang and Drug Oversight Council and the Metro Gang Strike Force Advisory board--did not provide sufficient oversight on the Metro Gang Strike Force's financial activity, the report said.

While the report stated that the legislative auditor could not account for $18,126 in seized cash, it noted that the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office said that it had deposited $2,960 of this amount through Dec. 31, 2008, so that the unaccounted for amount was actually $15,166. "We did not validate this claim," the auditor's report said. The Ramsey County sheriff's office was the fiscal agent for the strike force.

Didn't one of Fletcher's unsworn buddies serve on some task force but later get convicted of stealing money in a sting?

Gang Strike Force Offices Shut Down

The Metro Gang Strike Force has closed its headquarters after the force's commander learned some investigators had turned up to remove items from the offices.

Force commander Chris Omodt says he doesn't know what items were being removed from the offices in New Brighton but was concerned they were related to a probe of the force that officials announced Wednesday.

Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion had said he will ask an advisory board to suspend the Metro Gang Strike Force to deal with financial management problems.

Campion says he informed 13 Twin Cities police agencies whose officers work for the unit that the state will stop their funding starting in 30 days while the Department of Public Safety works with Omodt to clean up the problems.

Campion's announcement came after the legislative auditor released a report showing a lack of financial oversight at the unit that polices Twin Cities gang activity, including $18,000 in seized cash and 14 vehicles that couldn't be accounted for.

The audit also says procedure wasn't followed when six officers went to a law enforcement conference in Hawaii earlier this year.

Campion says he plans to hire a former federal prosecutor and retired FBI agent to investigate. He made the announcement during a legislative hearing on the audit. He says he will ask the unit's advisory board to make the monthlong suspension formal next Wednesday.

Campion says he doesn't aim to shut down the Metro Gang Strike Force permanently and expects it to be back up and running better after what he expects will be a 30-day suspension.

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In April, Minnesota's legislative auditor announced plans to examine spending by Metro Gang Strike Force members on a trip to a law enforcement conference in Hawaii. Six members of the force attended March's conference at a cost of more than $16,000. The money came from the seizure of property used as part of criminal activities.

Joel, you're enjoying the whole "pop-up" thing just a little too much...

"Certainly with the comments made in the legislative audit and investigators taking boxes off their desks, one might construe they were taking some files and that's simply not the case," Shaver said.
However, it’s enough for Minneapolis City Councilmember Don Samuels and head of the St. Paul Police Union ________ to call for officers on the Strike Force to call it quits.
_____, the leader of St. Paul's nearly 600 officers, wants his department out of the Strike Force immediately after the allegations of mismanagement, poor evidence handling, and the exposure of undercover officers in the media.
"We’re just not going to tolerate it. I don't think our members need to be exposed to that situation," Titus said.
Titus says at least one of the half dozen St. Paul officers on the Strike Force has asked for a transfer—so too have officers from other departments, sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.