HF 4944

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 04/16/2026 04:11 p.m.

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. new text begin INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALIST GRANT PROGRAM;
APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin (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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new text begin (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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new text begin (1) have a disproportionately high rate of unsolved crimes;
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new text begin (2) identify inadequate staffing as a major impediment to solving crimes;
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new text begin (3) present a plan to utilize investigative specialists to increase the number of crimes
that are solved;
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new text begin (4) present other evidence of a commitment to increase the rate of crimes solved by the
agency; and
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new text begin (5) identify specific goals and performance metrics to measure the effectiveness of
investigative specialists.
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new text begin (c) Grant recipients must use grant money to:
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new text begin (1) create recruiting protocols and a job description for investigative specialists;
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new text begin (2) create a procedure manual for investigative specialists;
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new text begin (3) hire investigative specialists;
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new text begin (4) create training programs for investigative specialists and train individuals hired to
be investigative specialists; and
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new text begin (5) supervise and support investigative specialists.
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new text begin (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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new text begin (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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new text begin (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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new text begin (1) the number of investigative specialists hired by the agency;
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new text begin (2) a description of the training provided to investigative specialists;
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new text begin (3) a summary of the acts performed by investigative specialists; and
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new text begin (4) a description of the impact the investigative specialists had on solving crimes.
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