Minnesota Sheriffs Association urges more treatment capacity, training funding and statute updates to aid county sheriffs

Sheriff Jason Kammerud, representing the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 29 that county sheriffs statewide face recurring challenges and the association’s 2025 legislative priorities focus on treatment capacity, training funding and statutory clarifications to improve operations.

Why it matters: Sheriffs oversee jails, court security and investigations at the county level; several items the association seeks — especially secure mental‑health treatment beds and stable training funds — would affect county budgets and jail operations across Minnesota.

Kammerud, sheriff of Carver County and testifying for the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, said county jails are routinely holding people civilly committed to the Commissioner of Human Services far beyond the 48‑hour statutory transfer goal because of statewide capacity constraints. “Today, those who are justice system involved and who have been civilly committed by the court to the Commissioner of Human Services remain detained in county jails well after the 48 hour timeframe has elapsed,” he said, and described examples from multiple counties where stays extended months or more than a year.

The association urged the Legislature to invest in immediate secure‑treatment capacity so people civilly committed by the courts can be transferred promptly and to reduce burdens on county jails, which Kammerud said “are simply not designed or staffed to meet the needs of those with mental illness.” He said the recurring gap stretches detention staff and reduces quality of care for other inmates.

Kammerud listed additional MSA priorities:

- Training funds (the Philando Castile Training Fund): MSA asked that the Legislature bake training funding into the state budget after noting the governor’s recommended budget omitted roughly $6 million the association has relied on in prior biennia. Kammerud said state‑mandated training requires stable state funding.

- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones): MSA seeks three updates to statute to clarify law enforcement use, allow UAV use with property‑owner consent as an exception to a warrant for some situations, and expand emergency authority to prevent imminent destruction of evidence.

- Permit‑to‑carry records: MSA recommended requiring permit holders to notify the issuing sheriff after a legal name change to keep records accurate.

- Independent use‑of‑force investigative authority (BCA investigative unit expansion): MSA proposed expanding the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension unit’s authority to investigate allegations on Minnesota‑owned military facilities involving U.S. armed forces personnel, beyond the Minnesota National Guard.

- Public safety radio replacement: MSA asked for statewide funding to replace radios and systems connected to the Allied Radio Matrix and Emergency Responders system (ARMOR), citing end‑of‑life devices and interoperability concerns.

- Hiring background responses: Kammerud proposed statutory changes to require past and current employers to respond to written pre‑employment background inquiries within 10 days, streamline court orders when needed and allow penalties for willful noncompliance; he suggested fines fund youth intervention grants.

Committee members asked about federal grant uncertainty and whether sheriffs knew which federal grants might be affected; Kammerud said the impact varies across counties and that sheriffs were still assessing whether a federal freeze would affect local funding. Senators also asked whether Minnesota’s experience with civilly committed individuals is unique; Kammerud said other states face similar challenges but he had not compiled comparative data.

Ending: The committee did not take formal action on the MSA priorities; Kammerud agreed to provide committee offices with written materials within one to two weeks.