Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North St. Paul police expand grant partnerships; LPR cameras and overtime funding included
Summary
Police Chief Ray described a recent automobile-theft prevention grant in partnership with Ramsey County and neighboring cities that provides license-plate-reader camera access, reimbursed overtime (about $125,000 annually) and the ability to request county investigators and drones for major cases.
Ray, the police chief, told the council that North St. Paul joined neighboring cities and Ramsey County in an automobile-theft prevention partnership that yields several resources for local investigations.
Under the arrangement the city gained two license-plate-reader (LPR) cameras to be deployed in North St. Paul, access to Ramsey County investigators and drones for larger cases, and reimbursement mechanisms for overtime costs tied to investigations; Ray said the partnership structure improves solvability for cross-jurisdiction cases. He said the city received equipment and training resources as part of the grant and that reciprocal camera access among partner jurisdictions will help follow vehicles that cross municipal boundaries.
Ray also described coordination with the Ramsey County Traffic Safety Initiative (Toward Zero Deaths) that will let trained officers join regional enforcement details — beneficial for a small city that can host larger multi-agency operations.
Council members asked about the BCA (Bureau of Criminal Apprehension) partnership; Ray said the current agreement runs through mid-2026 and that chiefs involved hope the program is extended. No contract dollar amounts beyond the $125,000 in annual overtime funding were specified during the workshop.
