SF 1223

1st Engrossment - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006)

Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; prohibiting falsely
reporting police misconduct; prohibiting providing
false information to a peace officer about the conduct
of another; imposing criminal penalties; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.505.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 609.505, is
amended to read:

609.505 FALSELY REPORTING CRIME.

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin False reporting. new text end

Whoever informs a law
enforcement officer that a crime has been committed new text begin or otherwise
provides information to an on-duty peace officer, knowing that
the person is a peace officer, regarding the conduct of others new text end ,
knowing that it is false and intending that the officer shall
act in reliance upon it, is guilty of a misdemeanor. A person
who is convicted a second or subsequent time under this section
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Reporting police misconduct. new text end

new text begin (a) Whoever
informs, or causes information to be communicated to, a peace
officer, whose responsibilities include investigating or
reporting police misconduct, that a peace officer, as defined in
section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), has committed an
act of police misconduct, knowing that the information is false,
is guilty of a crime and may be sentenced as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) up to the maximum provided for a misdemeanor if the
false information does not allege a criminal act; or
new text end

new text begin (2) up to the maximum provided for a gross misdemeanor if
the false information alleges a criminal act.
new text end

new text begin (b) The court may order any person convicted of a violation
of this subdivision to make full restitution of all reasonable
expenses incurred in the investigation of the false allegation.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Section 1 is effective August 1, 2005, and applies to
crimes committed on or after that date.
new text end