Report Recommendation 1.9

The Saint Paul Police Department has strong and longstanding relationships with the diverse communities who live in the city. These relationships were built through countless programs curated to serve specific cultural groups. These initiatives include staffing Spanish-speaking officers at the Mexican Consulate to meet with families and dozens of other non-enforcement immigrant programs. This includes the U visa program which has seen a significant and consistent increase in certifications.  As a testament to the department’s successful efforts, Chief Thomas Smith was called to testify in front of Congress in 2012 specifically about the department’s community outreach programs into the Somali and Oromo diaspora. 

St. Paul immigrants, don't be afraid to call us, police say in four languages
Pioneer Press | Nov. 30, 2016

The Saint Paul Police Department supports many specialty organizations such as the local chapters of the Latino Peace Officer Association, Asian Officers Association, Black Police Officers Association, Somali American Police Association and the Association of Women Police. These organizations work within their respective communities to recruit and mentor potential police officer candidates. They also promote advancement for their members and provide training and study assistance for those taking promotional tests. 

The Saint Paul Police Department does not ask about immigration status and department policy prohibits bias profiling. The city does not operate its programs for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws as stated in Chapter 44 of the city administrative code. 

St. Paul mayor and police chief to Muslims: 'We will stand with you'
Star Tribune | Feb. 8, 2017

Saint Paul Police Chief Axtell Against Police Immigration Checks
Saint Paul Pioneer Press / March 2, 2017

Saint Paul police officers working as federal task force members are prohibited from participating in federal administrative immigration actions.

The Saint Paul Police Department works to ensure the safety of immigrant victims facing a precarious immigration status. Further, the department participates in the U visa and T visa processes.

For immigrant crime victims, St. Paul speeds visa process to push cooperation with police

Pioneer Press / June 11, 2018

The Saint Paul Police Department recruits officers who are fluent in languages other than English. The department’s commitment to reflecting the communities it serves is evidenced in its recruiting and hiring practices (see Recommendation 1.8). 

Saint Paul Police Department Officer Language List:

The Saint Paul Police Department has contractual and less formal interpretive resources for officers in the field to provide trusted service with respect with a common understanding. Every person deserves to be heard.

Saint Paul Police Department documents are published in five languages used by community members: English, Spanish, Hmong, Karen, and Somali. The department continually invests in additional language resources for its publications.

The department has a policy guiding employees on effective communication with persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind, have hearing loss and/or for whom English is a second language.  This policy was developed and co-written with members of the deaf and blind community in 2018 and was updated again in 2020. 

The Saint Paul Police Department regularly partners with government and non-government organizations to facilitate several missions including crime prevention. Many of these partners exist specifically to serve diverse communities residing in Saint Paul and are well established and often led by those who reflect that community. These partnerships are extremely valuable in bringing trusted service with respect to every person in Saint Paul.  In addition, the SPPD has four Community Engagement Specialists who assist the department in furthering our efforts in bridging gaps and better serving our community.

Not applicable for local law enforcement.