Richard Stanek

Al Franken takes commanding early lead

The election is still 18 months away, but Al Franken already holds a commanding lead over all potential challengers, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey. If the election were to take place tomorrow, Franken would jaunt to an easy victory, according to these poll results. Partly because ... More >>

Norm Coleman rules out run against Dayton, takes shot at GOP's "purity police"

Earlier this year, Minnesota Republicans said they wanted to see Norm Coleman challenge Gov. Mark Dayton in 2014. They won't get their wish.SEE ALSO:-- Norm Coleman on Michelle Obama's Oscars appearance: Obamas "owe Hollywood so much" -- Norm Coleman's "shadowy" American Action Network under fire fo ... More >>

Hennepin County Sheriff's Office won't hire you if you have a visible tattoo

Under the leadership of Sheriff Rich Stanek, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office has adopted a no-visible-tattoos policy for new hires.SEE ALSO: Antonio "Savage" Jenkins' tattoo of "pig get'n brains blew out" leads to criminal charge No other Hennepin County department's have a tattoo policy, the S ... More >>

Rep. Tony Cornish wore a semi-automatic rifle pin to today's gun control hearing [PHOTO]

This morning the legislature kicked off three days of gun control hearings, starring Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder.SEE ALSO: Minnesota lawmakers propose gun control legislation [VIDEO] Cornish has emerged as the legislature's staunchest gun rights advocate -- a title he wore proudly, literally, ... More >>

Law enforcement wants Legislature to take up mental health, gun violence

A coalition led by Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek demanded in a capitol press conference Wednesday that lawmakers take up reform on the intersection of the mentally ill and "extreme gun violence" in Minnesota. SEE ALSO: COVER: Civil commitment leaves mentally ill languishing Judge presses Dep ... More >>

Judge presses Dept of Human Services on civil commitment troubles

A Hennepin County judge wants to know why its taking the state so long to transfer some mentally ill patients to psychiatric hospitals. Judge Jay Quam, who presides over the mental health commitment court, pulled representatives from the Department of Human Services into his courtroom Wednesday to ... More >>

Mentally ill, dangerous patient languished for months without proper care; judge wants explanation

Linda Desonpere had no business being at the University of Minnesota's Fairview Hospital after August 27. That's the day a Hennepin County judge deemed Desonpere "mentally ill and dangerous" -- the most restrictive form of commitment in Minnesota -- and ordered her transfer to the St. Peter Securi ... More >>

Occupy Minnesota fights the banks

Organization builds a tight-knit national community while preventing foreclosures

Toronto takes lessons from Minneapolis police's work in Cedar-Riverside

In Toronto, six men of Somali descent have been shot and killed since June. As the city searches for solutions, CBC News (Canada's version of the BBC) is suggesting that it might be able to find answers across the border, in the Minneapolis police's success reducing crime in Cedar-Riverside.See also ... More >>

Twin Cities police worried about dramatic uptick in heroin-related deaths

Yesterday, the Hennepin, Anoka, and Ramsey County Sheriffs held a joint news conference to highlight a trend of increasing concern to Twin Cities law enforcement -- an uptick in heroin use, particularly among youth.Deaths caused by heroin overdoses in the three counties increased nearly three-fold l ... More >>

KSTP wants answers from Minneapolis police over cameraman shoving incident [VIDEO]

During a "Re-Occupy" Minneapolis demonstration on Saturday night, protesters learned from police they would not be allowed to erect tents in Peavey Plaza. After they marched in the street in protest, 12 people were arrested on Nicollet Mall for public nuisance and impeding traffic. KSTP cameraman C ... More >>

ACLU files First Amendment lawsuit against state on behalf of activist Melissa Hill

​With the help of some legal heavy-hitters, Melissa Hill hopes to make the Federal Protective Services, state of Minnesota, and city of Minneapolis pay for her sidewalk chalking-related June arrest.Hill was detained and issued a trespass order for "damaging public property" while inscribing an ant ... More >>

Melissa Hill settles lawsuit against Sheriff Richard Stanek for $15,000

The booking photo from the arrest that started it all.​Occupy MN's first arrest has resulted in its first financial settlement. Melissa Hill, a well-known local activist and "Kitten for Sheriff" founder, sued Sheriff Richard Stanek after he had her trespassed from the Hennepin County Government C ... More >>

Occupy Homes MN to deliver 6,000 signatures to US Bank

​The Occupy Homes movement -- an offshoot of OccupyMN and Occupy Minneapolis -- is still fighting to keep two Minneapolis homeowners' families from being evicted. This evening, a group of marchers is bringing over 6,000 signatures to US Bank, in the hopes that the downtown-based lender will find ... More >>

Protesters blast Wells Fargo bonuses, political donations [VIDEO]

Protesters decried big bonuses paid to Wells Fargo executives​About 40 protesters marched from Occupy MN's "People's Plaza" to the Wells Fargo center this morning to blast the bank. The protesters were accompanied by Michele Bachmann, John Kline and Erik Paulsen imitators, who stood behind th ... More >>

Occupy MN: Melissa Hill sues Sheriff Richard Stanek over trespassing arrest

The booking photo from Occupy MN's first arrest.​Just a week into the Occupy MN demonstrations at Hennepin County Government Plaza, the movement got its first arrest. Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies hauled away Melissa Hill, a well-known local activist and the founder of the anti-Sheriff Richar ... More >>

Occupy MN and ACLU sue Hennepin County

​The ACLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of four members of the Occupy MN movement. The 92-page filing lists Hennepin County, the county commissioners, Sheriff Rich Stanek, and "unnamed" Hennepin County deputies and security officers as defendants. At the heart of the lawsuit is whether new restri ... More >>

Occupy MN protesters barred from sleeping in Government Plaza starting Monday

Occupy MN FacebookAn occupier gets in Sheriff Rich Stanek's face outside the commissioner's meeting Tuesday.​Hennepin County commissioners voted unanimously in favor of enacting yet another raft of stricter rules on Occupy MN protesters camping out in Government Plaza. According to the new restri ... More >>

Occupy MN protesters defy Hennepin County orders; ACLU threatens lawsuit [UPDATE]

The occupiers are refusing to move from in front of a sign.​This morning, Hennepin County maintenance removed all of Occupy MN protesters' signs from Government Plaza. Just before noon, however, a small contingent of the occupiers started putting them back up. Now, seven occupiers have linked ar ... More >>

Occupy MN: Mugshots from arrests at US Bank [PICTURES]

Even though this is what she wanted, no one looks happy in a mugshot.​Yesterday afternoon, in an attempt to escalate the level of confrontation with law enforcement, seven Occupy MN protesters refused to clear the intersection in front of US Bank. Their message was manifold, but the goal was clear ... More >>

Melissa Hill arrested at Occupy MN

Protest notches first arrest and first victory

Occupy MN to rebuild tent city on US Bank plaza [VIDEO]

The original Tent City, in its fleeting glory. ​On Saturday, ten transparent pup tents sailed a sea of Occupy MN protesters from the South side of the Government Plaza to the North, in open defiance of Sheriff Rich Stanek's ban on structures or tents in the park. Eight conventional camping tents s ... More >>

Occupy MN: Melissa Hill arrested by Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies [VIDEO]

Cops approach Melissa Hill outside Occupy MN tent building demo.​Occupy MN protesters began setting up tents and shelters on the grassy knoll of the Government Plaza this afternoon, with full knowledge that they are defying the orders of the Hennepin County Sheriff. However, cops approached Melis ... More >>

Occupy MN gets law enforcement OK for occupation of Government Plaza

​In a series of meetings held over the past couple of days, Occupy MN organizers have received tentative approval for their plans to camp out in the Hennepin County Government Center plaza starting tomorrow at 9 a.m. The plaza is public property, but organizers still met with the Hennepin County ... More >>

Metro Gang Strike Force gets off scot free

Photo: benleto.Hennepin County also declined to file anymore charges last year.​After years of controversy, the saga of Minnesota's scandal-riddled gang-combating task force is about to come to an anti-climactic finish. The U.S. Department of Justice has declined to level anymore federal char ... More >>

Rich Stanek vs. Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate? [UPDATES]

Rich Stanek: He beat Kitten. Is Klobuchar next?​Norm Coleman generated some headlines the other day when he confirmed that he has no intention of running against Sen. Amy Klobuchar when she's up for re-election in 2012. So, who will? MPR asked around and found buzz building for Hennepin County Sh ... More >>

Kitten for Sheriff urges CEOs to lock themselves up

Stanek, or kitten for sheriff?​Anyone remember the kitten that thought it could get more Facebook support than Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek? Well, apparently the people behind this campaign have taken it pretty far. In addition to just trying to up its Facebook stats, supporters for th ... More >>

Minneapolis ranked 13th most pot-loving community

Photo: aturkus/Flickr​April 20's a bit of mythical date for those who partake of the herb, and The Daily Beast took the opportunity to check in with some "experts" and consult some statistics to create it's Top 40 Most Pot-Loving Communities. Minneapolis comes in at No. 13. Maybe we'd have ra ... More >>

Rich Stanek's $426,150 grant request for KingFish phone tracker wins county's OK

This man wants to go KingFishing for your cell phone signal

Rich Stanek faces kitten competition for Hennepin County Sheriff

The feline is running on the Kitty Disobedience ticket, and has already accused the incumbent of dirty tricks.

Minneapolis's Metro Gang Strike Force strikes out

Also: Pat Buchanan's Minnesota, rubber-ball fetishist burglar

Hennepin County Sheriff weighs in on Metro Gang Strike Force

In an interview with MinnPost, Rich Stanek discusses the dubious, recently disbanded unit, which is the subject of two investigations.

Former charter school director accused of embezzling $1.38 million

Tuesday's five most fascinating stories printed on wood pulp.

Letters to the Editor

Readers respond to Best of the Twin Cities

Herbal Remedy

Killer weed ravages suburbs, supplies of Cheetos

Herbal Calamity

Scuba-duba do

The Rehabilitation of Rich Stanek

The MPD captain tries to outrun his most formidable opponent—his own checkered history on race—in a bid to be Hennepin County sheriff

Crime of the season

Primary results

Rich Stanek: role model for white people

Dead Again?

The drive to bring back capital punishment has friends in high places

Dragnet

A new computer database system called CriMNet is supposed to revolutionize crime fighting in Minnesota. Cops, politicians, big business, and the media love it.

Tim Pawlenty's New Deal

How Minnesota's new governor set the table for this year's budget-slashing "crisis" in state healthcare spending

Blame the Victims

Laura Goodman-Brown, Minnesota's crime-victims ombudsman, is about to become a victim herself. And she says it's a crime.

Welcome to Palookaville

The abbreviated shelf life of posterity

Freedom Fighters

Coming to a capitol near you: The Patriot Act Junior

Hard and Fast

Recent embarrassments notwithstanding, Minneapolis isn't softening its stance on high-speed chases

Shades of Mediocrity

For better or worse, the Star Tribune's new owners will stay the course.