SF4570

Purpose

• This bill changes who qualifies as a “peace officer” for the purpose of police state aid apportionment. It sets a new minimum work threshold (30 hours per week) and adds specific employment-duration requirements tied to the municipality’s population, affecting which officers count toward state aid calculations.

Main Provisions

• Adds a new definition to Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 477C.01 subdivision 7 for “Peace officer.”
  • A peace officer is a municipal law enforcement officer who:
  • Works full-time in direct municipal employment as a law enforcement officer for not less than 30 hours per week.
  • Has been employed for a minimum period before December 31 of the preceding year’s certification, based on municipality size:
    • For municipalities (city, town, or county) with a population of less than 5,000: at least two months.
    • For municipalities with a population of 5,000 or more: at least six months.
    • For a municipality that is not a statutory or home rule charter city, town, or county: at least six months.
  • Is sworn to enforce the general criminal laws of the state and local ordinances.
  • Is licensed by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (POST) and is authorized to arrest with a warrant.
  • Is a member of the State Patrol retirement plan or the Public Employees Police and Fire Fund.
• Applies specifically to purposes of police state aid apportionment, meaning these criteria determine which officers are counted for state aid calculations.

What This Would Accomplish

• Aligns the eligibility of officers for state aid with a clear, uniform set of employment and certification requirements.
• Ties the counting for police state aid to both workload (hours per week) and tenure (months of service before certification), with criteria that vary by municipality size.
• Ensures officers counted for aid meet statewide credentialing (POST) and legal authority (arrest with a warrant) and are part of recognized retirement funds.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Replaces or adds to the prior definition of “peace officer” used for police state aid purposes by:
  • Establishing a concrete 30 hours/week minimum.
  • Requiring specific months-of-service thresholds before certification, varying by municipality population.
  • Narrowing or expanding who qualifies depending on current staffing and population demographics (relative to the prior standard, which is not shown here).
• Explicitly links peace officer status to POST licensure and eligibility for retirement funds.

Implementation Considerations

• The bill specifies definitions and qualifications, but the text provided does not include an effective date or transition plan. How existing officers are treated and when the new rules take effect would be determined in the final version or accompanying fiscal notes.

Relevant Terms - peace officer - police state aid apportionment - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 477C.01 subdivision 7 - minimum employment threshold - 30 hours per week - months before December 31 - population thresholds (less than 5,000; 5,000 or more) - statutory or home rule charter city/town/county - sworn to enforce general criminal laws and local ordinances - Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (POST) - arrest with a warrant - State Patrol retirement plan - Public Employees Police and Fire Fund - local government aid (LGA) (implicit context)