Investigative specialist grant program established, and money appropriated.

A bill for an act

relating to public safety; establishing the investigative specialist grant program;

appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.
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INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALIST GRANT PROGRAM;

APPROPRIATION.
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(a) $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the

commissioner of public safety for the investigative specialist grant program. This is a onetime

appropriation.

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(b) The commissioner must issue grants to law enforcement agencies as defined in

Minnesota Statutes, section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (f), for the purpose of hiring,

training, and retaining investigative specialists to increase the rate at which agencies clear

offenses and improve support for victims of crime. The commissioner may award up to

$250,000 to an individual applicant. In issuing grants under this section, the commissioner

must prioritize law enforcement agencies that:

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(1) have a disproportionately high rate of unsolved crimes;

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(2) identify inadequate staffing as a major impediment to solving crimes;

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(3) present a plan to utilize investigative specialists to increase the number of crimes

that are solved;

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(4) present other evidence of a commitment to increase the rate of crimes solved by the

agency; and

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(5) identify specific goals and performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of

investigative specialists.

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(c) Grant recipients must use grant money to:

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(1) create recruiting protocols and a job description for investigative specialists;

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(2) create a procedure manual for investigative specialists;

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(3) hire investigative specialists;

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(4) create training programs for investigative specialists and train individuals hired to

be investigative specialists; and

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(5) supervise and support investigative specialists.

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(d) Investigative specialists hired under this program must provide administrative and

investigative support to detectives and investigative supervisors. Grant recipients must

provide training to investigative specialists, including training on confidentiality requirements

and other relevant policies and procedures.

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(e) An investigative specialist hired under this program must not be a peace officer as

defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c); must not identify

as a peace officer; and must not exercise powers and duties assigned exclusively to peace

officers.

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(f) Grant recipients must submit a report to the commissioner of public safety on the use

of investigative specialists to improve the rate of crimes solved by the agency. Reports must

be made six months after the commissioner awards a grant to the agency and at the end of

the grant period. At a minimum, reports must identify:

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(1) the number of investigative specialists hired by the agency;

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(2) a description of the training provided to investigative specialists;

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(3) a summary of the acts performed by investigative specialists; and

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(4) a description of the impact the investigative specialists had on solving crimes.

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