C-Notes September 11, 2025
Executive Director Report
Thank you to everyone who joined last week’s virtual briefing with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the State School Safety Center on School and Church Safety.
For those who were not able to attend, the full recording is now available to view.
Resources shared during the call:
- MN School Safety Center SRO Training Team
- BCA Training Resources
- The Basic Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course is recommended for those seeking to learn more about threat identification and reporting, as well as how to structure and implement BTAM teams in partnership with the School Safety Center.
- MN School Safety Center Webpage
- The Center will soon offer a one-day Basic Threat Evaluation and Reporting Course tailored for schools, delivered regionally.
- Overview of GIS School Mapping
- Contact: john.cunningham@state.mn.us | (612) 201-7212
- Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)
- Contact: greg.ruehl@state.mn.us
I encourage you to share the recording and these resources with your command staff, school resource officers, and community partners.
Thank you,
Jeff Potts
Executive Director
2025 Fall Leadership Summit
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association invites you to the Fall Leadership Summit, November 18-20 at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd.
This 2.5-day event gives chiefs and command staff a chance to step away from daily demands, sharpen leadership skills, and connect with peers in a smaller, more focused setting. Sessions will cover emerging issues in policing, leadership development, and practical strategies you can bring back to your agency. An outline of the schedule can be viewed online.
Registration is $280 and includes training sessions, materials, and group meals. Lodging must be reserved separately through Cragun’s.
Small Agency Scholarships Available for Fall Leadership Summit
Thanks to the support of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation, scholarships are available to help small agencies with the cost of attending the 2025 Fall Leadership Summit at Cragun’s Resort.
This funding helps ensure that leaders from all departments, regardless of size, can participate in this new professional development opportunity. Agencies interested in applying can submit their scholarship request now.
Visit the Fall Leadership Summit Scholarship tab for more information and to access the application form.
Apply for a Community Partnerships Grant by Friday
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation is accepting applications for the 2025 Community Partnerships Grant Program, with $100,000 available to support agencies statewide.
Departments may request up to $2,500 for programs, events, or outreach that strengthen community relationships. Agencies funded in 2024 are welcome to apply again.
Deadline: Friday, September 12, 2025
Learn more and apply at mnchiefs.org/community-grants.
Legislative Update: New House Democratic Leader, Special Session, and Special Elections
Minnesota is still reeling following the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. It has shattered a tight-knit community and an entire neighborhood where generations of students have attended Annunciation. Additionally, the assassination of House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman and attempted assassination of Senator John Hoffman in June still weighs heavy on our collective hearts. Please keep the families of all affected on your mind.
Now, on to the latest political news in Minnesota.
Governor to Call Special Session?
In the wake of the shooting, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other big city mayors are calling for the legislature and Governor to pass gun control measures, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Governor Walz is more than open to the idea, stating earlier this week that he plans to call a special session to address exactly these issues. There was a mixed reaction from legislative leaders, predictably along party lines. Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth said that she is interest in adding resources to address mental health issues and providing resources for school security. Democratic leaders have indicated a willingness to discuss those issues but are also calling for stricter gun laws. Other issues will certainly come into play during a special session as well. The Governor calls a special session but the legislature decides when it adjourns.
New House Democratic Leader – The House Democratic Caucus took the last several months to mourn their longtime leader, Melissa Hortman, before choosing a new leader. Last night, the caucus elected Representative Zack Stephenson from Coon Rapids as their new leader. Rep. Stephenson is cut from a very similar mold as former Speaker Melissa Hortman insofar as he’s an attorney from a suburban district with incredibly strong progressive views but is also incredibly pragmatic. In an interesting twist of fate, Rep. Stephenson credits Melissa Hortman for getting into politics. He worked on her first campaign for the House more than 20 years ago and was very close to her.
Special Elections – Minnesota Senate
You’ll recall that the Minnesota Senate was controlled by Democrats by a one vote margin, 34-33. There are two special elections that could flip the majority to the Republicans.
Senate District 47 – Senator Nicole Mitchell was recently convicted of first degree felony burglary, after which she resigned her seat. As a result, the Senate is currently tied 33-33. The special election for her seat will be held on November 4. Two Democrats, Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger and Eathan Cha, were vying for the party endorsement, both of whom are current House members. Hemmingsen-Jaeger won the Democratic endorsement at the Senate District and beat Char handily in the primary to become the Democratic-endorsed candidate. Republican Dwight Dorau is running for the second time for the seat. He lost in 2024 to Mitchell. Electoral trends over the past several elections show the Democrats with an average of a 9 point advantage so the conventional wisdom is that Hemmingsen-Jaeger will prevail.
Senate District 29 – Longtime GOP Senator Bruce Anderson passed away unexpectedly in July of this year. Senator Anderson was a military veteran and solid members of the Senate. He will be missed. The district is west of Minneapolis and mostly rural and safely Republican. There was a four-way primary on the Republican side, in which Michael Holmstrom prevailed. He will face off against Democrat Louis McNutt. The Republicans will win this seat.
If conventional wisdom holds in each of these elections, Democrats will continue to control the Senate 34-33 going into the 2026 legislative session.
House District 34B – This seat was vacated due to the death of Melissa Hortman. Democratic candidate XP Lee won the primary for the Democratic endorsement and, if history is any guide, will go on to win the general election. The Republican candidate is Ruth Bittner. The special election will be held on September 16, and will likely return the Minnesota House to a 67-67 tie.
2026 Elections
Governor – Following the end of the legislative session earlier this year, it appeared that Governor Walz was going to seek a third term. The Governor was profoundly impacted by the Hortman assassination and began commenting that he needed time before making an announcement. More recently, he said that he would announce after Labor Day, which is any day now. Many believe that it is truly a 50/50 proposition and no one really has any indication which way he will go. Despite a lack of clarity, that has not stopped others from speculating as to who would run as a Democrat, including current U.S. Senator Any Klobuchar and Secretary of State Steve Simon. On the Republican side, current State Representative Kristin Robbins announced her candidacy last week. Other notable Republican candidates include Kendall Qualls and 2022 GOP candidate Scott Jensen.
U.S. Senate – Senator Tina Smith announced that she is not running for re-election in 2026. Two Democratic candidates have emerged: Congresswoman Angie Craig and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. Both are vying for the Democratic endorsement next year. The Republicans have not fielded a noteworthy candidate to date.
Supervision of Police Personnel Training
