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MN DOC adds body cameras inside state prisons
The state launched a pilot program this month to equip 800 corrections officers across three facilities with body-worn cameras, in an effort to improve transparency.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Department of Corrections launched a pilot program this month to equip corrections officers with roughly 800 body-worn cameras inside three state prisons, as part of an effort that has been years in the making.
According to Commissioner Paul Schnell, officers in the Lino Lakes, Stillwater and Shakopee facilities are participating in the program, which was made possible by $1 million in annual funding approved by the state legislature in 2023 through a broader public safety spending measure.
“When we’re talking about what happens in the confines of a correctional facility, body cameras can be really beneficial,” Schnell said in an interview. “In either accountability, or in clearing an officer. And in law enforcement, I think it’s more been the case that officers have been cleared than that the body cameras supported wrongdoing.”
Schnell began exploring body-worn cameras shortly after Gov. Walz appointed him to the commissioner position in late 2018. At that time, the state prison system was under heavy scrutiny for officer safety, after the deaths of two corrections officers that year. First, Joseph Gomm was beaten and stabbed by an inmate in July 2018, and just two months later, Joseph Parise had a heart attack responding to an assault.
Also, various state reports found that body-worn cameras could improve transparency when inmates made allegations of misconduct, excessive use of force or sexual assault by prison staff. In 2022, for example, the Office of the Ombuds for Corrections concluded in a report that “officer worn body cameras should be prioritized.”
“Given the number and severity of complaints alleging assault and harassment that the OBFC has received since re-opening in 2020, there’s an overwhelming need to protect incarcerated people and staff,” the state prison watchdog agency wrote. “Body worn cameras provide a tool that helps create transparency, accountability, and protection for Department of Corrections staff and population especially when other cameras are unavailable or do not get to the situation in time to record the incident.”
Body-worn cameras are not utilized as widely in prisons as they are by general law enforcement agencies on the streets, but they’re becoming more common in correctional settings. Beginning with the Atlanta Department of Corrections in 2016, several other agencies and states have started using body cameras inside jails and prisons. Minnesota corrections officials, for example, visited Missouri to learn more about how that state’s body-worn camera program operated.
“A number of states have them going. We’re just part of a growing trend, I think, for the use of body cameras in correctional settings,” Schnell said. “We look forward to seeing what the outcomes are.”
If the pilot program goes well, Schnell said the Minnesota DOC could expand the program statewide, which would require the agency to roughly double the amount of body cameras used in the pilot. That effort, he said, could be funded through the DOC’s budget, perhaps by shifting some money away from funding for fixed cameras inside the facilities.
However, the body-camera pilot program has not been universally embraced, particularly by union leaders with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
When the legislature first considered the body-camera funding in 2023, the AFSCME Corrections Policy Committee opposed the measure.
“Our position was if the Legislature decided to fund body cameras, significant guardrails must be included,” the organization wrote. “We will continue to advocate that the application of body-worn cameras be limited to circumstances such as cell extractions, inmate transports, and hospital coverage where existing, fixed-position camera coverage does not exist.”
Commissioner Schnell said he understands those concerns but still thinks the body-worn cameras will be mutually beneficial.
“Many police officers do not want to do the job without body cameras,” Schnell said. “I think, in the long-haul, that’s going to be the case here.”
The decision comes after an hours-long discussion over who was best to lead the district in the future
ST PAUL, Minn. — The St. Paul Public School district board has voted unanimously to offer the superintendent job to Dr. Stacie Stanley.
Stanley is the current superintendent of Edina Public Schools.
“Dr. Stanley brings strong leadership experience and expertise in building relationships with the community, improving student outcomes and enhancing equity in diverse school districts,” said Board Chair Halla Henderson.
The unanimous vote came after hours of debate and discussion on which of the three candidates – Stanley, Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed, and Dr. Brenda Cassellius – would be better suited to lead the district in the future. Board members discussed who would put an emphasis on safety, rebuilding trust, an ability to consider their budget problems, and considering the needs of students.
According to the SPPS website, Dr. Stanley, “led the (Edina) district’s strategic plan to create accelerated student achievement across all demographic groups, including a comprehensive literacy plan.”
Dr. Stanley previously worked as an associate superintendent at Eden Prairie Schools, and has worked in several other districts around the Twin Cities metro. She is the current president-elect of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.”
That meeting was packed with parents and students, mainly of the Hmong community. After hours of discussion, they voiced their concerns for what the district needs, including a public comment period that came after the board voted for Dr. Stanley.
“We as a Hmong community are strong here in St. Paul. No matter who comes in to represent or work for us, they will keep us in their agenda,” Mee Moua, on the Hmong Parent advisory Council, said. “And so they see us front and center, that we matter, that we are here, they need to hear us, they need to see us.”
At the Hennepin Healthcare Burn Center in Minneapolis, providers have treated three patients with similar cases since the start of this winter season.
MILACA, Minn. — Like many Minnesotans and as a lifelong hunter and angler, Justin Cowden of Milaca typically spends the winter season outdoors. This winter, Cowden is forced to spend most of his time inside and on crutches after the electronically heated insoles he was wearing malfunctioned, exploded and left him with second and third-degree burns.
KARE reported on a similar case on Monday. Since then, more people have reported experiencing similar injuries.
Cowden purchased the insoles from the seller Meisinuo on Amazon in November of last year. The link to the product has since been taken down.
After wearing the insoles last winter with no issues, Cowden put them on once again for the first time this year on Nov. 30—the first day of muzzleloader hunting season. “I was sitting in the stand, and the sun just started to pop up and I heard a pop,” he recalled. “I was thinking the neighbor was shooting at a deer and then all of a sudden, the bottom of my foot just started rolling. I didn’t know what was going on, so I jumped up from my chair and I screamed because I felt the burning, and then I pulled my pant leg up and I saw the smoke coming out of my boot.”
Cowden said it took him less than 10 seconds to remove his boot. When he did, the insole came out in pieces and the battery was stuck to his skin. “I just ripped it off because I didn’t know what else to do. It was a scary situation.”
Cowden was told by specialists he sustained second and third-degree burns on his left foot. Three weeks later, he is still using crutches and following up with weekly appointments. Doctors told him his treatment could possibly require skin graft surgery. “It’s tough. It definitely is,” Cowden said.
At the Hennepin Healthcare Burn Center in Minneapolis, providers have treated three patients with similar cases since the start of this winter season.
It’s something medical professionals are seeing more of, according to Hennepin County Medical Center’s Trauma Prevention Coordinator Kaytlin Hanson.
“We’ve had three patients since the beginning of winter already come in with varying degrees of burns on the lower extremities from first to third-degree, and it is from these insoles malfunctioning or even exploding,” she said. “Our medical staff was kind of shocked. This isn’t something that we’ve seen necessarily in the past, so when you see something that’s all of a sudden, ‘Wow, we have three immediately right away this season,’ we definitely want to get the messaging out there that this is probably a product to stay away from.”
Hanson recommends sticking to tried and true methods of staying warm. “We want you to be wearing some well-insulated boots that are well-fitting, waterproof, and then wearing those thick wool socks. That’s great and all the protection you should need.”
Cowden said he is sharing his story in hopes of warning others who are thinking of buying similar products. “It’s nice to have warm feet when you’re out hunting and fishing, but no, it’s not worth it to deal with that pain,” he said. “It’s the worst pain ever, and like I said, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”
On snowy days you don’t take a clear driveway or sidewalk for granted, especially if you don’t know the person clearing it.
HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. — While all this snow will open the door to winter fun in the days ahead, it is already proving challenging for area seniors who need help clearing it from their driveways and doorsteps.
Gerrod Ernst is volunteering to make sure Judy Kipka’s sidewalks and patio are cleared, not just today, but all winter long. Though the Kipka’s have taken advantage of the program through Senior Community Services for several years now… They spent part of last winter on a waitlist that included 150 households.
While demand is still high, the volume of volunteers has been picking up. Though fresh snow also likely means fresh demand.
“The phones ring off the hook when there is snow like this because everyone needs help,” said Emma Friend with Senior Community Services. “They need it as quickly as they can get it because they need to leave their house to get to medical appointments, or they have medical professionals who they need to get in their home, and if the snow isn’t removed, they might just not come.”
Ann Baily says DARTS Healthy Aging Solutions, which covers parts of Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties, had caught up to demand until Thursday morning. Which is why, if you’re willing and able, Ernst has a message for you.
“They can find ones near you or on your way to work, which is what I have,” he said. “As I commute, I can stop by here on my way to or from home, so it’s not really an inconvenience.”
If you’d like information on how to request help with shoveling or how to become a volunteer, click here.
In Hennepin county, KARE 11 is told the need is greatest in Plymouth and Brooklyn Park right now.
