Minnesota US Marshals agree to allow body cameras on fugitive task force

On Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service in Minnesota agreed to allow local law enforcement to use body cameras while assigned to the Fugitive Task Force, also known as the Northstar Violent Offender Task Force.

This move comes after years of a policy prohibiting local agencies from wearing body cameras while assigned to the Fugitive Task Force and after sheriff’s deputies acting as part of the task force shot and killed Winston Smith on Thursday in an Uptown parking ramp.

As a result of this policy change, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office signed an addendum on Sunday that modifies the sheriff’s office’s 2015 agreement with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, which did not allow for the use of body cameras. It will require any Ramsey County deputy who is federally deputized and assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force to wear and use a body camera. However, the agreement doesn’t apply to federal officers, who will not be wearing body cameras.

According to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Bob Fletcher implemented body cameras in September 2019 for over 400 employees but was prohibited from using them on federal task forces until recently.

As part of this new agreement, the U.S. Marshals Service in Minnesota required that any data collected during task force operations be the property of the U.S. Marshals Service in Minnesota.