Maple Grove Lawmaker Proposes Funding for Special Law Enforcement Teams
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt says her office’s special investigative units are putting a dent in violent crime and drug smuggling, but they need a funding boost to continue.
“In 2024, our Hennepin County task forces alone seized 307 illegally possessed firearms, some of which were ghost guns or had switches. Nearly 70,000 fentanyl pills, over 17 pounds of fentanyl powder,” Witt told the Minnesota Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Witt was testifying in support of a bill sponsored by Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove).
Sen. Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) proposes a bill to the Minnesota Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
The bill would allocate $3.5 million to violent crime enforcement teams. These specialized law enforcement units focus on investigating issues including gun crime and drug smuggling.
Witt says law enforcement technology costs are rising while funding remains flat. Likewise, law enforcement needs new technology to keep up with increasingly sophisticated criminal operations.
” Individuals in cartels are always proactive,” Witt said. “Every time one of their smuggling or trafficking rings are busted, they already have a plan B, C and D in place.”
The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a larger omnibus bill.
