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Home My WebLink About2026/03/04 - ADMIN - Minutes - Police Advisory Commission - Regular Police advisory commission meeting March 4, 2026 7:00pm If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call Police Lt. Greg Weigel, 952-924-2612, or the administration department at 952.924.2525. Police advisory commission Wed., Mar. 4th | 7:00pm Westwood Rm., City Hall – 3rd Floor Meeting Minutes Call To Order – Welcome Guests Chair Karl Gamradt called the meeting to order, noting that the session would be recorded for minutes. He emphasized the importance of having only one person speak at a time to assist with the recording process. Roll Call Chair Karl Gamradt conducted roll call with the following attendance: ● Karl Gamradt, Chair - present ● Saul Eugene, Vice Chair – arrived late ● Jillian Dixon - present ● Carrie Noble - resigned ● Michael Rydberg - present ● Diane Slais - present ● Leslie Rich - resigned ● Daniel Stockton - present ● Jay Wolkenbrod - present ● Kari Holmes– arrived late A quorum was established. Guests present included Police Chief Bryan Kruelle, Deputy Chief Siar Nadem and Lieutenant Dennis Hagen. Approval Of Agenda Chair Gamradt asked if everyone had reviewed the agenda and if there were any edits or discussion needed. With no objections raised, the agenda was approved. Motion: Chair Gamradt moved to approve the agenda. Motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Police advisory commission meeting March 4, 2026 7:00pm Approval Of January 2026 Minutes, No February Minutes Chair Gamradt explained that these were holdover minutes since the commission did not have quorum in February. He asked if everyone had reviewed the January 2026 minutes and if there were any edits or discussion needed. Motion: Motion made to approve the January 2026 minutes. Motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Discussion Of FLOCK And Proposed SLP Separation Ordinance Separation Ordinance Discussion Chief Bryan Kruelle explained that both the separation ordinance and FLOCK are scheduled for City Council discussion on April 6th as study session items. The drafts are still in development, so no copies were available for distribution. The primary policy question under consideration is whether to formally limit St. Louis Park Police from cooperating with or employing crowd control in coordination with immigration enforcement. Chief Kruelle noted that the Police Multicultural Advisory Committee had already discussed this topic. Chief Kruelle outlined the department's current approach: they do not proactively show up at ICE activities but respond when called by community members with concerns or when requested by other law enforcement agencies to support crowd control during unrest. He emphasized their focus on public safety, ensuring scenes remain safe, protecting First Amendment rights, and preventing violence while not collecting immigration information. The chief raised concerns about potential legal jeopardy for officers if an ordinance creates unclear boundaries, noting that officers patrol the city and could easily find themselves in situations that might violate a separation ordinance through no fault of their own. Chair Gamradt inquired whether the PAC would be invited to participate in the April 6th study session discussion. Chief Kruelle suggested using normal PAC communication channels to request participation. Vice Chair Eugene raised concerns about recent incidents, including an allegation that a sergeant helped an ICE agent avoid legal observers, and a situation on Rhode Island Avenue where the department allegedly refused to respond to protect school children and bus stops during an ICE operation. Chief Kruelle acknowledged the Rhode Island incident was an error that should not have happened and had been addressed as a training issue. Commissioner Michael Rydberg expressed concern that complete separation might undermine community trust, stating that residents expect police support and protection. He worried that a hands-off approach could make residents feel abandoned. Deputy Chief Nadem asked the commission what they envisioned the police department's role should be in such situations, emphasizing that they don't participate in immigration actions but respond to volatile situations to allow First Amendment exercise and prevent escalation. Police advisory commission meeting March 4, 2026 7:00pm Commissioner Jay Wolkenbrod suggested that St. Louis Park police presence might actually de- escalate situations due to community respect for local law enforcement, contrasting this with Minneapolis where there may be more negative feelings toward police. Policy Recommendations Discussion Chair Gamradt proposed that any separation ordinance should include clear involvement limits specifying when and where police can be involved in crowd control efforts, what crowd control practices are acceptable, and reporting requirements for post-incident review. He emphasized the need for very specific guidelines rather than broad interpretive language. The discussion touched on the challenge of defining "maintaining public safety" and ensuring that crowd control does not simply appear as assistance to federal agents. Gamradt suggested limiting more serious crowd control methods to situations where officers' lives are in danger. Commissioner Rydberg requested more time to consider the policy implications before voting on recommendations. The motion to send policy suggestions to the council was withdrawn due to insufficient consensus. FLOCK Camera System Discussion Chief Kruelle outlined three policy questions the City Council is considering regarding FLOCK automatic license plate readers:  Ceasing permanently or suspending temporarily the use of FLOCK  Ceasing permanently or suspending temporarily sharing of FLOCK data with other agencies  Sharing data with other agencies only upon request, eliminating automated sharing Lieutenant Hagen explained that FLOCK cameras capture four pieces of data: license plate picture, date, time and camera location. There is no connection to vehicle registration information. The system works by comparing plates to a "hot list" from the Minnesota BCA with purpose codes for various law enforcement needs. Chair Gamradt raised concerns about data sharing agreements, noting that the department's policy manual lists Homeland Security as a potential data recipient, which appears contradictory to statements about not sharing with immigration enforcement. Lieutenant Hagen clarified that St. Louis Park has implemented restrictions preventing searches for immigration purposes, which would block access to their data even if they were sharing with such agencies. The discussion revealed that Minnesota agencies accessing shared data must input purpose codes and case numbers, and searches for immigration purposes are blocked from accessing St. Louis Park's records. However, Chair Gamradt expressed concern about agencies potentially using false purpose codes to circumvent restrictions. Chief Kruelle provided statistics from the first two weeks of February 2026 showing extensive investigative use of the system, including searches related to assault, missing persons, stolen vehicles, sexual assault and homicide cases. He highlighted several successful case resolutions, including locating kidnapped children and identifying suspects in serious crimes. Police advisory commission meeting March 4, 2026 7:00pm Lieutenant Hagen explained the audit process, noting that third-party audits occur every two years and are reviewed by the state. Violations could result in agencies losing access to the system. FLOCK Policy Recommendations After extensive discussion about data protection, sharing agreements and audit limitations, the commission developed recommendations for the city council: Motion: Chair Gamradt moved to recommend three suggestions to the council regarding FLOCK: (1) ensure strong agreements with clear language about what data can be shared and what agencies are allowed to do with it, (2) block any agency that is flagged for audit issues, and (3) consider the practical limitations of the audit process regarding the city's ability to detect and enforce misuse of shared data. Commissioner Michael Rydberg seconded the motion. Motion carried. Chief Kruelle committed to blocking agencies that have been flagged by the state for data misuse violations. Discussion Of Community Survey – Instrument And Implementation Plan This agenda item was not discussed due to time constraints. Other Business Chair Gamradt made a motion requesting that the police department prepare transparency materials regarding current policies and practices related to immigration enforcement, and that the PAC consider hosting a public information session to be voted on at the next meeting. Motion: Chair Gamradt moved to request the police department prepare transparency materials on current immigration enforcement policies and for the PAC to consider hosting a public information session. Motion was seconded and carried. Adjournment Motion: Motion made to adjourn the meeting. Motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:50 PM. Next regularly scheduled meeting: Wed. 04-01-26, 7pm (City Hall – 3rd Fl. Westwood Rm., 5005 Minnetonka Bl., St. Louis Park, MN 55416