Mayor Her explains rejection of independent investigation after journalists injured
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St. Paul Mayor Kaoly Her is denying a request for independent probe into violent police response that injured three journalists during a November U.S. Immigration and Customs arrest, saying an internal investigation should finish first.
In December, the St. Paul Police Civilian Internal Affairs Review Commission requested an independent investigation into the St. Paul Police response late last year that turned violent.
It left three photojournalists injured during a Nov. 25 ICE arrest in the 600 block of Rose Street East in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood.
In a March 4 letter, Her denied that request. She explained Friday that the department’s Internal Affairs unit is already investigating the case.
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“If you were to have multiple investigations going at the same time, and if they were to produce different outcomes, that would really, truly undermine our ability to have transparency and to hold accountable those who need to be held accountable,” Her said.
News that the commission asked for the review and that it was denied earlier this month was first reported by independent journalist Georgia Fort.
A letter from Her posted by Fort on her website also said “hiring an independent investigator risks compromising the investigative process and any resulting discipline. It can also compromised and increase labor and legal disputes.”
The photographers, including MPR News visual journalist Kerem Yücel, were hit by pepper balls or other less lethal munitions as they performed their jobs. Yücel was sent to the hospital by ambulance and was released the same day.
All three photographers said they were clearly marked as press, had large cameras in their hands and they were grouped together as they worked.
Her also said she wouldn’t rule out an independent investigation after the Internal Affairs review.
“We can also have, you know, a review of the investigation is done by an independent party. We can ask for our own investigation,” she said.
Still, the mayor said, she’d like to see the internal investigation completed before taking any other action.
The Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists condemned the actions of the St. Paul Police Department.
