C-Notes: February 13, 2026
Executive Director Report
We saw some significant movement on Operation Metro Surge this week. Yesterday morning, White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced the end of the operation in Minnesota and that ICE Agents who had been deployed there would soon return to their home offices. Mr. Homan also indicated in his comments that the HSI investigators will remain in Minnesota to continue their work on fraud investigations.
Earlier this week, we spoke with State DPS and ICE leadership regarding the jail detainer issue and the BCA switch that electronically sends booking information for foreign-born individuals arrested and booked into local/County jails. Over the past 2-3 weeks, we have seen significant progress on the detainer issue, and most jails are currently communicating with ICE regarding detainees subject to an ICE detainer. The BCA Switch that would electronically send information to ICE on foreign-born bookings has not been addressed at this point. DPS continues to work with ICE and DOJ leadership to provide BCA access to the evidence and reports related to the federal agents involved in the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
MCPA's efforts to improve communication between federal immigration agencies and local police agencies will continue over the coming months. We will continue to meet with and talk with the leaders of the federal agencies that remain in Minnesota.
Thank you. I hope you all have a nice weekend.
Jeff Potts
Executive Director
Nominations Open for 2026 MCPA Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2026 MCPA Awards. Members are encouraged to recognize exceptional service, bravery, innovation, and leadership across Minnesota law enforcement.
Awards will be presented during the Executive Training Institute (ETI) Awards Banquet on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in St. Cloud.
Statewide Awards
The MCPA Statewide Awards honor law enforcement professionals and community members whose actions reflect the highest standards of service and commitment.
Statewide Award categories include:
-
Medal of Honor (nominees for this award may be used to select the Police Officer of the Year Award)
-
Distinguished Service
-
Meritorious Service
-
Lifesaving
-
Citizen’s Valor
-
Police Cross
Full descriptions and eligibility criteria are available at mnchiefs.org/statewide-awards.
The nomination period has been extended. All Statewide Award nominations must be submitted online by February 17, 2026. Award decisions will be finalized by the end of February, and nominators will be notified shortly after.
SUBMIT A STATEWIDE AWARD NOMINATION
Excellence in Innovation Award
The MCPA Excellence in Innovation Award recognizes small and large Minnesota municipal police agencies and their CLEOs for exceptional, innovative achievements that advance the law enforcement profession and benefit the communities they serve.
Submissions are evaluated by the MCPA Board of Directors based on:
• Level of innovation
• Effectiveness
• Ability to replicate
• Overall impact
One small agency and one large agency will be selected and recognized at ETI. Excellence in Innovation Award nominations must be submitted by February 27, 2026.
SUBMIT AN INNOVATION AWARD NOMINATION
Members are encouraged to submit nominations for individuals or agencies deserving of these honors.
MCPA Board of Directors – Submit a Nomination
The MCPA is now accepting candidate submissions for the 2026 Board of Directors. Members interested in serving are encouraged to submit their candidacy through the online form.
The following positions are open:
- 3rd Vice President
- Treasurer (3-year term)
- Sergeant-at-Arms (1-year term)
- Director (3-year term) – three positions available
The election will be held during ETI on Wednesday, April 15 at 10:00 a.m. Voting is limited to Voting Members present at the conference.
The deadline to submit a nomination is March 13, 2026. Additional candidate and election details will be shared after the submission period ends.
Officer Hearing Protection Program - DPS Survey
The Minnesota Legislature has allocated $500,000 to the Commissioner of Public Safety to implement a one-time Officer Hearing Protection Program. The Department of Public Safety (DPS), through its Fiscal and Administrative Section (FAS), will be issuing a competitive solicitation for the purchase of qualifying hearing protection devices.
The Legislature has defined eligible hearing protection devices as:
- Commercially off-the-shelf available
- Multi-use
- In-the-ear canal
- Minimum noise reduction rating (NRR) of 25 decibels
- Maximum output of 80 decibels
To help ensure that the devices selected by DPS best meet the operational needs of agencies across Minnesota, DPS requests your assistance in distributing the following survey to the agencies you represent. Your outreach will help them gather valuable field input prior to finalizing device specifications.
- Survey Link: https://forms.dps.mn.gov/253555294115963
- Survey Deadline: March 2, 2026
Once devices are selected through the competitive bid process, FAS will complete the purchase. DPS will then administer a grant process through which eligible agencies may apply to obtain hearing protection devices under this one-time program.
The following individuals are eligible under this program:
- Public Safety Officer (peace officer, firefighter, qualified emergency medical service provider)
- Firefighter (volunteer, paid on-call, part-time and career) who serves a general population (within MN Boundaries)
- Peace Officer (licensed under MN State 626.84)
- Qualified emergency service provider (certified under MN Stats 144E.28 and actively employed by a Minnesota License ambulance service)
- Eligibility to request hearing protection are state and local agencies (public safety heads of agencies, entities who buy hearing protection for those agencies)
Please forward this information to your officers. The survey will close on March 2, 2026.
For questions related to the competitive bid process, please contact Ashley Scharffbillig at ashley.scharffbillig@state.mn.us. For all other questions, please contact John Cunningham at john.cunningham@state.mn.us, and he will connect you with the appropriate DPS staff managing this project.
The Executive Training Institute (ETI) is returning to St. Cloud on April 13–16, 2026, bringing together chiefs and command-level leaders from across Minnesota for four days of executive-level training, networking, and professional development.
ETI 2026 will feature a robust lineup of general and breakout sessions focused on leadership, accountability, investigations, discipline, and emerging challenges facing law enforcement executives. Confirmed sessions include leadership lessons drawn from critical incidents, complex homicide investigations, discipline and grievance processes, drones as first responders, elder crypto fraud, and state agency updates. The program will also include lessons learned from high-profile incidents, including the Burnsville tragedy, as well as sessions on resilience, moral injury, and contemporary leadership challenges.
The conference will also include the ETI Expo Hall, providing attendees the opportunity to connect with industry partners and explore products, services, and technologies that support law enforcement operations and organizational effectiveness.
Additional session details and speaker information will be shared as the program continues to be finalized.
CLEO & Command Academy Update
The MCPA's CLEO & Command Academy brings together chiefs and command-level leaders from across Minnesota who are engaged in advanced leadership development, strategic thinking, and peer collaboration. As the 2026 session reaches its midpoint, the MCPA would like to share a brief update.
Participants have completed coursework focused on executive leadership, organizational culture, critical incident leadership, and contemporary challenges facing law enforcement executives. Instructors and facilitators have noted a high level of engagement, thoughtful discussion, and meaningful application of course content to real-world leadership challenges.
The MCPA appreciates its members' continued support for investing in leadership development for the profession.
For questions about the academy or other Center for Police Leadership training opportunities, please contact Stephanie Revering, MCPA Training & Operations Director.
Thank you for your continued commitment to professional excellence and leadership in Minnesota law enforcement.
SRT Body-Worn Camera Program
The Small, Rural, and Tribal Body-Worn Camera (SRT BWC) Program will reopen for new applications on January 26, 2026.
The SRT BWC program provides funding for body-worn cameras to:
- Law enforcement agencies with 50 or fewer full-time sworn personnel
- Rural agencies located in non-urban or non-metro counties
- Federally recognized tribal law enforcement agencies
Funds may be used to purchase or lease body-worn cameras and to cover expenses reasonably related to implementing a comprehensive BWC program. Grants may support pilot programs, new implementation, or expansion of existing programs.
Grant funds may not be used for BWCs purchased prior to January 1, 2026. A one-to-one match is required and may include in-kind contributions.
The program is administered by Justice & Security Strategies, Inc. through a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Learn More & Register for the SRT BWC Program
Clarification on Firearm Carry Laws in Public Spaces
Law enforcement professionals have received questions regarding when and where individuals may legally carry firearms in public while holding a permit. To help address areas of confusion for both agency staff and the public, the Association is sharing a reference document prepared by attorney Richard Hodsdon.
The linked document compiles and cites relevant Minnesota statutes related to public firearm carry. Rather than offering interpretations or summaries, the document largely reflects the statutory language as written, allowing agencies to reference the law directly when responding to questions or concerns.
Members are encouraged to review and use this resource as appropriate when addressing firearm carry questions within their communities.
Register for MCPA's Leadership Academy
Registration is open for MCPA’s 2026 Leadership Academies, an immersive 3.5-day training experience designed for middle management and first-line supervisors in law enforcement. The Academy helps participants make a confident transition from street officer to effective supervisor, covering essential topics such as complaint sorting and discipline, performance appraisals, leadership principles, and media relations.
Upcoming 2026 Sessions:
- May 18–21 — New Brighton
- Sept. 15–18 — New Brighton
- Dec. 7–11 — Camp Ripley
Sessions are taught by seasoned Minnesota leadership instructors and are limited to 30–40 attendees per session.
Minnesota Wild Law Enforcement Offers
The Minnesota Wild have partnered with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association to offer specially priced tickets at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul on the following dates:
- Tuesday, March 10, 2026 vs. Utah Mammoth
- Thursday, April 2, 2026 vs. Vancouver Canucks
This special offer is open to all local, state, and federal law enforcement officers, corrections officers, sheriffs, security and public safety personnel, first responders, family members, and the general public.
Multiple specially priced ticket options are available, and $5 from each ticket purchased will be donated to NLEOMF and LEMA.
For groups of eight or more, contact Minnesota Wild representative Karen Reisinger at 651-312-3486 or kreisinger@wild.com.
First Responders Night at Target Field
Join the Minnesota Twins for First Responders Night as the Twins take on the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:10 p.m. on Friday, May 1 at Target Field.
This special ticket package includes your game ticket plus a limited-edition co-themed First Responders Camper Mug. In addition, $5 from each ticket purchased through this exclusive offer will be donated to the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association.
For groups of 20 or more, contact Liz Pilarski at LizPilarski@twins.com or 612-659-3852.
Chief Jeff Tate Retirement
