There’s a push for more oversight of the off-duty work of Minneapolis Police Department officers. They’re allowed to accept off-duty assignments under the police union contract with the city.

Some city council members want a clearer picture of how city resources are being used when officers are doing that work. The Minneapolis City Council voted 9 to 2 on Thursday to start considering implementing fees to recoup the cost of city resources being used during off-duty work by officers.

“I’m really glad we’re speaking about this,” said Council Member Jamal Osman, who represents Ward 6. “I think it’s smart to know what the cost of taxpayers’ money is.”

The council authorized the city attorney to draft an ordinance allowing the city to collect fees for off-duty use of city resources. Members also moved forward with a fee study to look at MPD’s use of vehicles, uniforms and other resources during off-duty work.

Council President Elliot Payne previously said it will allow the city to better track and manage the system.

“Police officers are taking on essentially gig work and they’re pocketing that as direct employment and they’re utilizing city resources,” said Payne during Thursday’s meeting.

Off-duty police work has been under scrutiny for years. Concerns surfaced during the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor, who served prison time for shooting and killing Justin Ruszczyk Damond during an on-duty shift after he worked for hours at a private business.

A 2023 Department of Justice investigation found the jobs pay significantly more than overtime at MPD and “the officer keeps all the compensation, the city gets nothing.” The investigation said “off-duty employment also undermines supervision at MPD”, noting private entities hire the officers.

“We absolutely need to know who is out there, when they’re out there and where they’re at,” said Council Member Andrea Jenkins, who represents Ward 8.

She told 5 EYEWITTNESS NEWS more oversight of the system is needed but she questions whether a fee system is the right choice. 

“I do think there is some public good that’s being served even if those police officers are off-duty,” said Jenkins. “Having police in uniform even if they’re off duty, per se, serves as a deterrent but also if something does happen, they’re right there.”

During the council meeting, Jenkins questioned how a fee would work if the officer has to respond to a call.

“Today’s action is to work with the City Attorney’s Office to be able to be responsive to those exact considerations,” responded Payne.

In a statement, Mayor Jacob Frey expressed support for tackling the issue but encouraged City Council to collaborate with the city’s legal experts when crafting its policy.

“Streamlining off-duty police work is a challenging yet essential issue,” a spokesman for the mayor said. “The mayor’s goal is to find a solution that ensures greater oversight, supports our department, and is legal and equitable for our officers, businesses, and residents. He encourages Council Members to collaborate with City attorneys and subject matter experts to help achieve that goal.”

Details, such as who will pay the fee and what the fee will be, are expected to be worked out as the process moves forward. The process of drafting an ordinance will likely take weeks if not months. Further discussion by council members will follow.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and Office of Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette declined to comment following the vote.

The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis did not respond to KSTP’s requests for comment.