No-Knock Warrants Are Now Off Limits to Minneapolis PD
The new policy states that Minneapolis officers serving a warrant must announce their presence and then wait 20 seconds during the daytime, or 30 seconds at night, before entering.
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A special order released by Mayor Jacob Frey states that Minneapolis police can no longer apply for or execute unannounced search warrants, even when assisting other law enforcement agencies, reports the Star Tribune. The new policy states that Minneapolis officers serving a warrant must announce their presence and then wait 20 seconds during the daytime, or 30 seconds at night, before entering, unless under “exigent circumstances,” which is defined as when in hot pursuit, to prevent imminent harm or provide emergency aid, to prevent imminent destruction or removal of evidence and to prevent the imminent escape of a suspect.
The new policy, which goes into effect on April 8, specifies that the destruction or removal of narcotics does not qualify as exigent circumstances. Michelle Gross, president of the watchdog group Communities United Against Police Brutality, said she told Frey the 20-second pause before entering was not enough. As a member of the mayor’s community safety workgroup, she suggested the city adopt the 30-second wait time recommended by Campaign Zero, a nonprofit that researches policies to end police violence.
