Moorhead resident alleges mistaken police searches; mayor offers police‑chief follow‑up
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Summary
Resident Shannon Kamal told the council two police entries and a night search warrant led to her and four small children being made to wait outside the home; the mayor said Police Chief Helmick has reviewed the incidents and will attempt to contact the resident for further explanation.
Shannon Kamal, a Moorhead resident, addressed the Moorhead City Council during public comment on Oct. 27 and said Moorhead Police twice visited her home in October seeking individuals she says were not present. Kamal said officers came Oct. 11 and again Oct. 17, that they used rifles during the first visit and executed a search warrant during the second, and that officers made her and her four children — all under age 7 — wait outside the house for an hour or two while the search occurred.
"I'm Dakota woman. I'm Native American, and I live here," Kamal said at the podium. She said the searches left her "hurt" and worried that Child Protective Services could be notified because officers executed a warrant while her children were at home.
Mayor Shelley Carlson told Kamal that the city had reviewed the submitted written comment and connected with law enforcement. Carlson said Moorhead Police Chief Helmick has reviewed the incidents Kamal described and has attempted to contact her. The mayor asked Kamal to provide contact information to an officer in the back of the room so the chief could follow up and explain the legal basis for a search warrant and the operational details of the police response.
The mayor said a search warrant must be signed by a judge and that the chief could discuss how the warrant was obtained and executed. No formal council action was taken on the matter during the meeting; city staff offered to facilitate contact between Kamal and the police chief for further information.
