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A Ramsey County and St. Paul Police Department initiative to solve nonfatal shootings has doubled the clearance rate for those cases, according to city data. Now law enforcement agencies, city officials and a group of lawmakers want to expand the initiative statewide.

Most legislation aimed at reducing gun violence has stalled along party lines this legislative session. However, a push to fund nonfatal shooting investigations has united law enforcement, progressive public safety advocates and lawmakers.

Nonfatal shootings, which are often gang related, can lead to more violence if the shooter tries again or another shooter retaliates. Interrupting that cycle can prevent future violence, but doing that takes time and money. Traditionally, police departments have focused on homicides instead.

However, in 2020, police in Denver, Colorado started investigating all shootings like homicides because they believed clearing those cases could reduce violent crime. 

In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature funded a collaboration between the St. Paul Police Department, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. The $1.7 million from the state funded a St. Paul Police Nonfatal Shooting Unit and a program to support intimidated victims and eyewitnesses concerned for their safety. 

In 2025, St. Paul’s clearance rate for nonfatal shootings rose to 71 percent from 37 percent, according to city data. The data also show during the same period the number of nonfatal shootings and shots fired reports dropped by more than half and the homicide solve rate improved.

“If we did not get the money from the Legislature in 2023 to help pay for this program, we would not be here today,” said Paul Ford, assistant chief of the St. Paul Police Department, at the Minnesota Capitol on Thursday.

Ford said the money paid for overtime so investigators could work after hours just like a homicide investigator. “We didn't do that before,” Ford said.

He said it also pays for a forensics team to immediately process the crime scene “so we're not losing evidence, we're not losing witnesses, we're not losing victims in the 24 hours.”

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said funding for nonfatal shooting investigations is especially important because solving those types of cases is resource-intensive. Intervening before gang violence occurs or escalates requires building relationships with offenders, witnesses and victims.

"We monitor social media, left and right. We can predict a lot of times when these incidents are bubbling and going to occur, like a weatherman predicts a storm. But you need to have resources to intervene," Fletcher said.

Sen. Doron Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, and Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, have spearheaded an effort to capitalize on St. Paul’s success and fund nonfatal shooting units across the state. 

“I grew up in a community where when these cases weren't solved, we saw the retaliation, and we saw the loop of violence continue,” said Frazier Thursday, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago.

On Monday, the House overwhelmingly passed a catch-all public safety package that includes $1 million to establish the clearance grant program. Grantees would collaborate with other law enforcement agencies, use advanced investigative techniques like forensic analysis and study the impact of their initiatives.

$1 million is significantly less than Frazier and Clark initially pushed for.

“We know that doesn't go a long way, but the point of the matter is to establish this as something that's important,” Frazier said, then legislators can return next session and push for more funding as they put together the state’s budget.

“We will find a way to stretch every dollar we get for this program to ensure that communities see successes,” said Assistant St. Paul Police Chief Ford.

Frazier said he expects the program to be part of final negotiations between the House and the Senate before the legislative session ends May 18.

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Nonfatal shootings are difficult cases to solve, but doing so can prevent future violence. Lawmakers are proposing a grant program to help police around the state clear more nonfatal shooting cases.

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Cait Kelley | MPR News

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Lawmakers consider expanding program that helped St. Paul double its nonfatal shooting solve rate

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