Brooklyn Park to analyze bringing prosecutorial services in-house as contracts near renewal

City Manager Jay Stroebel told the council the city's legal services contracts are up for renewal and staff recommended extending the existing contracts for one year while preparing an analysis of the pros and cons of bringing some or all services in-house.

Stroebel said municipal business requires legal guidance on development and code matters and that the prosecution side of services is a distinct operational need. He asked the council for direction to extend the current contracts for another year and to allow staff to return with a longer-term recommendation in the spring.

Police Chief Mark Bruley said the current arrangement has been financially beneficial but that colocating prosecutorial attorneys in the police department could improve efficiency. Chief Bruley said in-house prosecutors can help with emergency restraining orders, complex search-warrant drafting and immediate legal advice to officers in the field, and noted the city's current provider proposed a renewal price of about $70,000 to continue the service for the year while a competitive bid could cost substantially more.

Mayor Hollies Winston and other council members said they were satisfied with current legal counsel but asked staff to analyze budgetary impacts and whether bringing prosecutorial services in-house would preserve the responsiveness and sensitivity council expects. Stroebel and staff committed to returning with a detailed financial and operational analysis; no final change to the legal services model was adopted at the meeting.