Minnesota State Patrol

Minnesota State Patrol
Abbreviation MSP

Patch of the Minnesota State Patrol
Agency overview
Formed 1929
Employees 821 (as of 2004)[1]
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction* State of Minnesota, United States
Minnesota State Patrol Districts
Size 87,014 square miles (225,370 km2)
Population 5,197,621 (2007 est.)[2]
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters St. Paul, Minnesota
Troopers 544 (as of 2004)[3]
Civilians 277 (as of 2004)[4]
Agency executive Colonel Matthew C Langer[5]
Parent agency Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Patrol Districts 11
Facilities
Stations 61
Website
Minnesota State Patrol
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Minnesota State Patrol is the statewide police force in the state of Minnesota. While the State Patrol concentrates primarily on traffic enforcement and highway safety it also has a statewide law enforcement role. . Troopers are also involved with accident reconstruction and commercial vehicle enforcement. The State Patrol capitol security division also handles the security for the Minnesota State Capitol grounds and the governor. Additionally, the State Patrol maintains a K-9 unit that focuses on drug enforcement interdiction, as well as a Special Response Team (SRT), that operates like a traditional SWAT Team.

History

A Minnesota State Patrol vehicle

The Minnesota Highway Patrol was created in 1929 when Charles M. Babcock, the Commissioner of Highways, appointed Earl Brown, Sheriff of Hennepin County, as Chief of the Highway Patrol. On July 1, 1929, Chief Brown appointed 8 officers.

The first training school was held January 18 to April 1, 1930. This school graduated the first 35 members of the Minnesota Highway Patrol. [6]

In 1974 the Highway Patrol was reorganized and the official name was changed to the “Minnesota State Patrol.” [7]

A Minnesota State Patrol Trooper makes a traffic stop

The patch

The patch worn by members of the Minnesota State Patrol evolved from "The Great Seal" which is placed on all official state documents. The design is similar to the territorial seal which was used from 1849 until the adoption of the State Seal in 1858. It depicts a man in the foreground plowing, while a Native American is riding into the sunset in the background. The picture on the seal is a scene near St. Anthony Falls, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Motto "l’Etoile Du Nord" was selected by the first governor, Henry H. Sibley, which translated is "The North Star", thereby making Minnesota, "The North Star State".[8]

Organization

Fallen officers

Since the establishment of the Minnesota State Patrol, eight officers have died while on duty.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ USDOJ Statistics
  2. ↑ 2007 Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau
  3. ↑ USDOJ Statistics
  4. ↑ USDOJ Statistics
  5. ↑ https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ooc/news-releases/Pages/Commissioner-Dohman-Appoints-Kelly-Director-of-Hokend-Security-and-Emergency-Management,-Langer-Chief-of-the-Minnesota-Stat.aspx
  6. ↑ The Minnesota State Patrol Trooper's Association site
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ The Minnesota State Patrol site
  9. ↑ The Officer Down Memorial Page
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.