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Bill to fund dedicated investigative teams aims to boost clearance rates for nonfatal shootings
Summary
House File 2742 would create DPS grants for coordinated teams of police, prosecutors and analysts to improve clearance rates for violent crimes and nonfatal shootings. Ramsey County and Saint Paul officials testified that targeted investments significantly raised clearance rates and reduced homicides locally.
Representative Frazier introduced House File 2742 to establish a grant program at the Department of Public Safety that funds coordinated teams — investigators, prosecutors and crime analysts — focused on solving non‑fatal shootings and other violent crimes. The sponsor cited Denver and Saint Paul case studies where dedicated units produced rapid improvements in clearance rates.
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi described a local strategy funded through a previous one‑time public safety allocation that included victim‑witness services and specialized investigative teams. "When we do that, we can actually accomplish a lot for public safety," Choi said, urging expansion of the model statewide. Chief Axel Henry of the Saint Paul Police Department said his city achieved a 71% clearance rate for nonfatal shootings after standing up a focused unit and linked that work to a 50% reduction in the city’s homicide rate last year.
Members asked how grant sites would be selected, whether small counties could qualify, and how results would be measured. The sponsor said priority would be given to jurisdictions with proportionally high unresolved case rates and emphasized accountability and evaluation in program design. The committee laid the bill over for further consideration.
