UPDATE: Hours after this was posted the Hennepin County Board voted to table requesting federal money for Kingfish, at least until March 23rd, but the Strib didn't mention it could be voted upon again.
A source revealed a new move in the profitable world of government tracking goodiez: Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek lost out on nearly half a million dollars to buy a very secret advanced cell phone tracking kit called "KingFish" manufactured by Harris Corporation, when the Hennepin County Board deemed it expensive and possibly unconstitutional; he doesn't want to talk about it, the Star Tribune reported recently. However, he is apparently now going to get some kind of secret grant from the Feds to get KingFish anyway, probably paid via DHS or DOJ grant programs (much as Edina got a silly $182K police battletank). Will the Hennepin County Board be able to obtain the truth at today's meeting?

Also a couple proposals including the "Kelsey Smith" bill (HF2639/SF2470) are going through the Legislature to let the police instantaneously locate cell phones without warrants, under the excuse of abduction emergencies, although this bill's language is frighteningly unrestricted. The Strib says Kip Carver from Stanek's office also pitched KingFish as a tool to help with abductions. However, law enforcement is lurking in the wings at the State Capitol, trying to get warrantless intercepts of voice/data, not just the phone locations, added to HF2639. [Why is it legal for them to lobby for warrantless intercepts?] Naturally they want to try to sneak it in as an amendment, rather than a separate bill.

Metro area police departments have National Guard officers in the "police intelligence" mix now... More things secretly pushed in Minnesota Security State 2010, below the fold weird details, including notes on Stanek's agenda to kick Kitten off Facebook.
Last December the Minneapolis Police Department gave Minnesota National Guard Sergeant First Class Nicole Hughes an award at a ceremony attended by National Guard brass in fatigues. MNG and Minneapolis Police Chief Dolan claimed Hughes' work in I2 or Identity Intelligence software was made legal under a special annual declaration signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. More below

The Stanek Agenda

We heard Stanek said the Feds told him he can't talk about KingFish, even though the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension already has one. Why should any state official, in particular a Sheriff, be taking orders from the Feds? Especially about deployment of military-grade cell phone tracking technology here in Minnesota! While searching KingFish system by Harris Wireless Products Group or Harris Corporation turns up very little on the Internet, a US Army Intelligence command posted notice of "sole source" contracting of the KingFish Harris system. It must really be a field-clearing, top of the line cell phone tracking system; according to the contract spec it works on CDMA and 3G systems; we wonder if the secret Fed-Stanek Kingfish grant includes cool training sessions like the Army contract has. (Well-connected Harris made $165 million in Iraq and Afghanistan war cash during just 2002-July 2004)

One other happy operator of Harris KingFish? According to Maricopa County Arizona Board of Supervisor minutes, none other than the offices of controversial Sheriff Joseph "Joe" Arpaio, via High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Fed cash. Those minutes, posted below, describe its apparent use against drug traffickers.

Stanek is also pushing expanding the shady Suspicious Activity Reports from finance into the entire "Critical Infrastructure" of the US, which creates an entire new tier of police data that might land anywhere in police files, under the rationale that "critical infrastructure and key resource sectors" (or CIKRS) is now a parallel, quasi-militarized level of secured reality, granting its owners special rights to expanded government-gathered information on their "threats" and opponents. Suspicious Activity Reports open the floodgates of systematic sharing of private data among many actors, and Stanek has been coordinating the Nationwide SAR Initiative: http://www.niem.gov/newsletter200903.php

This new schema of domestic power relations is also getting rolled out at the state level through MnJAC, the Minnesota Joint Analysis Center, located in... Hennepin County, and wants to expand distribution of "special" intel to more private actors immediately. [MnJAC's ICEFISHX portal has dozens of registered military members, as well.]

Minnesota National Guard in metro police intelligence & the "Police Intelligence Operations" philosophy

Interestingly the extension of the Minnesota National Guard into the area of policing is part of a growing trend of militarization in the United States, as the military-industrial corporations have gorged on billions of dollars, reselling technology developed for wars now repurposed to control the American public. The National Guard claimed at least eight intelligence officials were working in the metro police departments, essentially a "live exercise" for the erosion of civil society. This is under the auspices of the Minnesota National Guard Counterdrug Task Force ( http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/counterdrug/ ), a state implementation of a nationwide National Guard program ( http://ngbcounterdrug.ng.mil/Pages/Default.aspx ).

The MN-NG entering Minnesota police forces is exactly the pattern described in "Police Intelligence Operations", a seriously disturbing study written by a bunch of contractors, including John Towery, an SAIC contractor working with a Washington state fusion center and local military intelligence unit. Get it here:
http://tc.indymedia.org/files/g20/us-army-conops-police-2009.pdf

Towery went in and took over listservs among Tacoma antiwar protesters, and a version of his deeply awful tale is actually a "vignette" about how they all interceded to destroy an American political dissent movement like an insurgency. They clearly believe by merging military, corporate, tracking and police functions it is possible to crush all oppositional forces in society.

This is the kind of remodeling of America that's being "approved" by ceremonies like MPD giving Hughes an award. Even with good intents, the entire system is still completely antithetical to the structure of our Republic, and no MPD award can reverse that.

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan and a National Guard General described how Major General Larry W. Shellito, Adjutant General / Commissioner of the Department of Military Affairs, creates a special loophole declaration for Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign every year, legitimizing the National Guard intelligence officers joining metro area police departments. However, no such declaration could be located on the websites of the National Guard or Pawlenty's office.

They agreed that the National Guard investigators are not "arresting anyone" and merely are provided sensitive law enforcement data, and then give it back but never retain it. However "arresting" and "investigating" are really both "executing" the laws of the U.S., there's no difference there.

State & county politicians don't want expensive police state junk, so the Feds buy it with fresh taxpayer debt instead

Stanek getting his hands on KingFish via the Feds after Chair Mike Opat and the Hennepin County Board already tried to cork it is part of the larger story, of federal money arbitrarily militarizing local government in America. When state governments balk at the expense and unaccountability of the Feds' programs and shady technologies, federal administrators roll right in, and roll them over. Controlling the strings on federal grants gives a lot of leverage, but there is resistance. For years the Minnesota Legislature has unanimously fought dumping tons of privileged state data on Minnesota citizens into the horrible federal RealID system because they know it will be totally insecure (and easily exploited commercially as well).

The feds' grant programs just come in and push the junk out whether locals want it or not, like that dumb Edina tank or the rarely spotted Minneapolis Police Department 6-Wheeler of Riot Control Fun(Photo by Malbiniak http://twitpic.com/a609 ). Now Pittsburgh has several LRAD sound cannon trucks, thanks to another federal grant program apparently run by maniacal fascists. [Democracy Now, Washington Times]. Who is in control of this grant money? WashTimes:

The purchase of LRADs by police agencies in the U.S. is approved by the Homeland Security Department, making the departments eligible for millions of dollars in federal grants. Federal and state officials said the grant money is turned over to the states, which decide how to spend it.

Is that news to Opat and Stanek?

With limitless debt financing available for the homeland security / "lawful interception" industry to hawk its wares, local government officials without recourse to infinite funds must turn down expanding tracking tech like KingFish into Hennepin County. But the Fed is there to push the tech, and the Federal Reserve Bank is there to synthesize the money.

Fake MN Police Facebook Anarchists; Plus a Kitten, Sheriff Rich Stanek and his Facebook Deputies show Sheriff elections a sham?

The rules for police messing around on Facebook, especially during election season, seem unknown. The Bloomington Police Department appears to have been involved with propping up a fake anarchist direct action group, IndyTACT, prior to the Republican National Convention. Police used social media to set fake public accounts for a number of operatives and notional illusions, yet the implications for this practice is unknown. Likewise law enforcement is in a unique power relation to Internet companies, which have limited budgets to fend off dubious requests for data, more and more coming without warrants or judicial oversight at all. [Cryptome.org has published tons of these law enforcement manuals in recent weeks, including a highly publicized brief shutdown via Microsoft's censoring attempts.]

Is it within the powers of a Sheriff to demand Groups and Fanpages be deleted by Facebook? That's the question begged by the deletion of the first "Kitten for Sheriff" group setup against Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek. Did Stanek or his campaign operatives demand it be deleted? On at least one occasion, Stanek also dispatched two deputies to investigate people specifically on the premise of Facebook activity. It is a terrain they must see as an Infowar of sorts, but they already get to play by different rules.

And for that matter, when someone in Bloomington PD gets around to deleting IndyTACT from Facebook, much as the fake accounts created for Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher's informants disappeared, will the act of deleting those accounts fall under an "active investigation" in data practices? Or perhaps the auto-deletion of idle accounts is "acceptable" as "not doing anything." Interesting stuff.

Since no one outside the Peace Officer community can even run for Sheriff in Minnesota right now (a dangerous electoral limitation recently imposed), symbolic satire campaigns are pitifully the only thing we have left in law enforcement elections. Kitten's success so far empirically proves that Sheriff Stanek only has a few dozen avid supporters, yet the field of opponents is arbitrarily cleared by the unfair election law.
IndyTACT: http://www.facebook.com/people/Indy-Tact/1427625008
The fake manifesto the cops posted here: http://twincities.indymedia.org/2008/aug/indiana-adopts-sector-2
CopBook evidence: http://tc.indymedia.org/files/Greelis-CopBook-RNC.pdf
More: http://rnc08report.org/archive/1303.shtml


More information:

18. AGREEMENTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF

FUNDS FROM THE STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM

Approve three FY 2010 Intergovernmental Agreements for the purpose of reimbursement of

funds from the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) of the Arizona

Department of Homeland Security (AZDOHS)-555208-02. These Intergovernmental

Agreements are funded by a grant from Arizona Dept of Homeland Security, (C-50-10-044-

G-00).

City of Tucson, $88,649; City of Phoenix, $117,601; and City of Mesa, $59,408. The term of

these agreements is effective October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010. These are pass

through federal funds through the State of Arizona and the Sheriff's Office is the

administering agency. The original agenda approval date for this grant was October 7, 2009.

Because these are subrecipients, indirect costs do not apply. (C-50-10-083-3-ZZ)

19. INCREASE TO SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT WITH HARRIS WIRELESS PRODUCTS

GROUP FOR UPGRADES TO KINGFISH DUAL-MODE SYSTEM

Approve an increase to Sole Source Contract Serial 09041--SS with Harris Wireless

Products Group of up to $212,000 for grant-funded upgrades for the KingFish Dual-Mode

System and the required training. The term of the current contract ends May 19, 2010 with

an option to extend for up to a maximum for four years at the County‟s discretion. The

Contractor must be notified in writing at least thirty day prior to the expiration of the original

contract.

Funding for this purchase will be from the HIDTA grant Program Income. The HIDTA Grant

was approved by the Board on December 2, 2009, under a new Agreement with Office of

Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) C-50-10-0070-G-00. The increase to the Sole Source will

facilitate implementation.

Also, approve an exception to the Technology Finance Program (TFP) that allows the

Sheriff‟s Office to purchase the necessary hardware and software for the KingFish Dual-

Mode System.

Sole Source contract is in the amount of up to $212,000. Ongoing support if applicable will

be funded through HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area). The funding for the

KingFish System Sole Source was initially approved by the Board on May 20, 2009 under C-

50-009-073-3-00. (C-50-09-073-3-01)

*******

Earlier, a May 20, 2009 Board of Supervisors Minutes provides more clues about the technology: [Also for fun Item 14, just above, directed $23,448 in Fed cash reimbursement for loaning an Arpaio deputy to what else, the local Joint Terrorism Task Force.]

https://maricopa.gov/Clk_Board/Minutes/2009/052009fb.pdf

15. SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF GRANT FUNDED HARRIS KINGFISH SYSTEM

Approve the Sole Source purchase a Mini-PC Controller and Controller Software for the

KingFish Dual-Mode System from the Harris Wireless Products Group. This Sole Source

Contract Serial 09041-SS is in the amount of $89,300. The Contract also provides for

training classes. The contract is for a term of one year, beginning May 20, 2009 and ending

May 19, 2010. There is an option to extend the term of this contract up to an additional four

years or on a month-to-month basis for a maximum of six months. The Contractor must be

notified in writing at least thirty day prior to the expiration of the original contract.

Also, approve an exception to the Technology Finance Program (TFP) that allows the

Sheriff‟s Office to purchase the necessary hardware and software for the KingFish System.

This Sole Source contract is in the amount $89,300. Ongoing support, if applicable, will be

funded through HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area). The funding for the KingFish

System was initially approved by the Board on April 1, 2009 under C-50-07-546-3-02. (C-50-

09-073-3-00)

Loretta Barkell explained technical aspects of this item and Supervisor Kunasek clarified

that these are listening devices to use with drug traffickers.

Motion to approve by: Supervisor Brock, Seconded by: Supervisor Kunasek

Ayes: Kunasek, Brock, Wilcox, Wilson

Absent: Stapley

Star Tribune article spills the beans on Kingfish:

http://www.startribune.com/templates/Print_This_Story?sid=83980697

Hennepin County puts sheriff's request for cell-phone tracker on hold

By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE, Star Tribune

February 9, 2010

*********

Government contracts filed on Kingfish for US Army Intelligence and Security Command - which has a lot of crazy contracts by the way: http://www.dgmarket.com/tenders/adminShowBuyer.do~d-446978-p=1~buyerId=1...

One reference is posted at
Country:   United States Notice/Contract Number:   fbo:w911w409t0017 Publication Date:   Apr 16, 2009 Deadline:   Jan 14, 2009 Funding Agency:   Department of the Army Buyer:   U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command
Original Language:   English
 United States

• 32571000 - Communications infrastructure  
• 32572000 - Communications cable  

The attorney or correspondent listed for KINGFISH is DONALD S. SHOWALTER of HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP, ONE EAST BROWARD BOULEVARD, SUITE 1300, ONE E BROWARD BLVD STE 1300 FORT LAUDERDALE FL 33301 . The KINGFISH trademark is filed in the category of Computer & Software Products & Electrical & Scientific Products . The description provided to the USPTO for KINGFISH is electronic surveillance transceivers for tracking, locating and gathering information from cellular telephones.

The USPTO has given the KINGFISH trademark serial number of 76303814. The current federal status of this trademark filing is SECTION 8 & 15-ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED.

Word Mark: KINGFISH Status/
Status Date: SECTION 8 & 15-ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED Serial Number: 76303814 Filing Date: 8/23/2001 Registration Number: 2867227 Registration Date: 7/27/2004 Goods and Services: electronic surveillance transceivers for tracking, locating and gathering information from cellular telephones Mark Description: NOT AVAILABLE Type Of Mark: TradeMark Published For Opposition Date: 3/5/2002 International Class Code(s): 009 US Class Code(s): 021, 023, 026, 036, 038 Primary Class: Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signalling, checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; magnetic data carriers, recording discs; automatic vending machines and mechanisms for coin operated apparatus; cash registers, calculating machines, data processing equipment and computers; fire extinguishing apparatus. Class(es) Status: Active First Use Anywhere: 12/10/2003 First Use In Commerce: 12/10/2003 Latest Owner: Harris Corporation
1025 WEST NASA BOULEVARD
MELBOURNE , 32919 Mark Drawing Code: Typeset (Words/letter/Number) Design Search Code: (NO DATA) Current Filing Basis: 1A Original Filing Basis: 1A Register Type: Principal Disclaimer: (NOT AVAILABLE) Attorney / Correspondent:

Kelsey Smith Act a vehicle for warrantless surveillance cellphone data collection law?

Kelsey Smith Act story in Star Tribune -- this is apparently the bill Law Enforcement wants to amend to include warrantless wiretapping or intercepts: While this article says "law enforcement would simply have to contact a phone company to get the "ping" location, rather than wait for a judge's sign-off or draft paperwork," there are no limits on the bill regarding what circumstances permit "pinging." The whole bill is a shocking abrogation of the 4th Amendment, but what else is new?

*******

http://www.startribune.com/politics/84750807.html

Parents of murdered Kansas teen lobby for cell phone 'ping' law

A teen's murder inspired bill to require quick hand-over of cell signal locations to police.

By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune Last update: February 18, 2010 - 10:02 PM

A bill presented Thursday with the blessing of a murdered Kansas teenager's parents would require Minnesota's cellular providers to immediately hand over to police "ping" information that shows the location of a phone belonging to person potentially in danger.

At a news conference at the State Capitol, the bill's sponsors, Rep. Sheldon Johnson, DFL-St. Paul, and Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon, DFL-Duluth, presented the Kelsey Smith Act, which would require that location information be shared with authorities without a search warrant or subpoena, saving valuable time in cases such as abductions. The bill would also protect service providers from liability associated with such handovers.

The bill was inspired by Greg and Missey Smith, whose 18-year-old daughter, Kelsey, was abducted June 2, 2007, from the parking lot of a Target store in Overland Park, Kan.

A police search ensued, and authorities asked Verizon Wireless for information from Kelsey's cell phone that would "ping" or track her approximate location via a cell phone signal. Citing privacy concerns, and confused legal language, Verizon initially resisted pressure. Three days later, the company relented. Kelsey Smith's body was found within 45 minutes of that decision.

"Verizon was not responsible for Kelsey's death. If we had gotten the information sooner, we would not have found her alive," Missey Smith said. "But she didn't have to lay in the woods for four days."

Edwin Roy (Jack) Hall, 26, was arrested and convicted of murder. He is serving a life sentence.

In a written statement, a spokesperson said Verizon supports the Kelsey Smith Law. "For years we have had protocols in place that mirror what is outlined in this bill. We cooperate with law enforcement in all investigations," the statement said.

The company added that it educates law enforcement on processes and procedures for requesting information in emergency situations.

Regardless, the Smiths said, they were frustrated by Verizon's lack of cooperation, and have begun a campaign to pass the legislation in all 50 states. They noted that most cell phone companies are cooperative and that such laws would protect them from legal liability. Once the laws are passed, law enforcement would simply have to contact a phone company to get the "ping" location, rather than wait for a judge's sign-off or draft paperwork.

The law has been enacted in Kansas, and is expected to win passage in Nebraska by the end of the legislative session.

The Minnesota situation

Last week, University of Minnesota police announced the arrest of two suspects accused in a string of robberies by pinging the signal from a victim's stolen cell phone.

Assistant St. Paul Police Chief Nancy DiPerna said Minnesota law enforcement typically has good relations with cellular service providers. But the bill can save valuable time by skipping a subpoena or warrant, she said.

"If even a couple hours can be saved and we can get there quicker, it's worth it. We want somebody out there like that," she said, snapping her fingers.

The Smiths testified before the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communications on Thursday, where the bill was unanimously recommended. It is now headed to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Smiths are expected to go before the House Telecommunications Regulation and Infrastructure Division committee on Friday.

Though the Smiths say they were angry with Verizon, they won't pursue legal recourse.

"It takes lawsuits or legislation to get big companies to act, and we're not a family that sues," Missey Smith said.

The Smiths have also lobbied federal lawmakers, but so far that effort has not paid off, said Greg Smith, a former police officer who now is a schoolteacher and runs the Kelsey Smith Foundation. If the Smiths must, he said, they'll lobby every state until Kelsey's Law is nationwide.

"Kelsey motivates us," Greg Smith said. "The pain of losing a child is indescribable. The first thought I have when I wake up in the morning is 'Kelsey's not here.' I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. If we can save just one person with this, it's worth it."

Abby Simons • 612-673-4921

Name: Harris IT Services Address: Suite 100
950 Blue Gentian Road
Eagan, MN, USA, 55121 Telephone: 651-365-3000 Fax: 651-365-3001


********



http://www.govcomm.harris.com/solutions/segments/000032.asp
Harris Corporation's innovative mapping and visualization capabilities are designed to meet the mission requirements of National, Tactical, and Civil users. Harris provides national security customers, including the intelligence and military communities, and civil users with the ultimate weapon: complete, accurate, and timely knowledge about the threat, the terrain, the status, and the location of single or multiple foe and friendly forces and their support. Harris' mapping and visualization expertise exploits the possibilities utilizing data, pictures, voice, and video drawn from vast storage banks or from real-time input which can be sent halfway around the world in fractions of a second.

Our expertise in the design and development of mapping and visualization technologies make Harris a world leader in:

• Image and signal processing
• Secure communication systems
• Geospatial processing and imagery products
• Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems
• Cockpit digital display systems, moving map software, and data processing for military aircraft
• Integrated solutions for information management

Applications: Products/Capabilities Digital Maps Global Geospatial Intelligence (GGI) Harris ImageLinks—Commercial Market Applications Harris ImageLinks—Geospatial Solutions Harris ImageLinks—Sensor-Based Processing Harris Imagelinks—TrueTerrain™ For Visualization/Simulation Harris ImageLinks™ 15 Meter Global Data Set—Most Realistic Commercial VisSim Product Image Processing and Modeling Information Access Service (IAS) InReality™ —3-D Visualization and Exploitation Tool JIGSAW (LADAR/ Image Processing and Visualization Software System Integration) MET—Multi-image Exploitation Tool RealSite Web-based Access and Retrieval Portal (WARP)
*********

Contact Information 

Acting Counterdrug Coordinator
CW2 Josh Jacobsen 
(651) 281-3484 

Operations Sergeant
Sgt. 1st Class Darrel Stuart
(651) 268-8937

Asst. Operations Sergeant
Master Sgt. Apryl Wagner
(651) 268-8938

DDRA
Master Sgt. Derrick Schmitt 
(651) 268-8938

Substance Abuse Coordinator
TSgt Holly Caroon
(651) 268-8847

Equipment Programs
Sgt. 1st Class Darrel Stuart
(651) 268-8937

Counterdrug Program
Department of Military Affairs
600 Cedar Street
St. Paul, MN 55101-2597
Fax: (651) 282-4021
Counterdrug@mn.ngb.army.mil 

For Military Support other than Counterdrug
Sgt. 1st Class David Whaley 
(651) 268-8886

Overview

The Minnesota National Guard is proud to be partnered with Minnesota law enforcement agencies, schools, and various community organizations in this important venture. Our Counterdrug Program adds value to our local communities by working hard to support Minnesota's law enforcement agencies fight against the sale and use of illegal drugs in Minnesota, along with narco-terrorism and other drug related activities.

Drug Interdiction

The Drug Interdiction program focuses on providing military support to federal, state, and local law enforcement officials in countering narco-terrorism and the flow of illegal drugs in Minnesota.

There are three areas we have divided our support into:

• Counterdrug Interdiction Support
• Law Enforcement Training
• Law Enforcement Equipment Program

Sample Request Letter for Support

Drug Demand Reduction

The Minnesota National Guard Counterdrug Program established it's Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Programsin 1992 to support federal, state, and local prevention programs by using positive role models to present a drug-free life style. Since then we have reached over 300,000 Minnesota youth with our programs.  Some of the programs we offer free of cost are:

• Fly-In Program - Grades 5-7
• Adventure Program - Grades 6-9
• Drug Abuse Education Program - Grades 9-10
  
  

Other Resources

This website provides assistance to students and family members in finding information on illegal use of drugs. We have grouped these websites into four general categories for ease of use:

Student and Parent Resources
Law Enforcement
Demand Reduction
Other 

Military training programs for law enforcement, often coordinated with the BCA: http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/counterdrug/training/assets/2009CounterdrugTrainingSchedule.pdf

Exciting details: http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/counterdrug/interdiction/

Tactical Law Enforcement Support 

Counterdrug equipment and personnel are available in providing military support to Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) officials in Counterdrug related missions.  Support is available through the Minnesota Counterdrug Program along with the National Guard Bureau Counterdrug Directorate and aviation assets from surrounding states.

Aircraft
Air assets are available to support aerial observation for marijuana or Meth labs, aerial command and control, Recon and/or Surveillance, SRT/SWAT training, or other LEA counterdrug applications as requested.  The Minnesota Counterdrug Program primarily uses the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter or the OH-58 Kiowa helicopter.  Additionally, Minnesota has an agreement with the North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin Counterdrug programs to support Minnesota LEAs with their aviation assets. The North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa Counterdrug Programs have the OH-58 helicopter that is equipped with Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR). Wisconsin has a fixed Wing Aircraft that has FLIR capabilities along with video, wet and digital photography, and a communications suite. 

Other Support
Other support is available on request based on availability of personnel, equipment, and funding. Sample Request Letter for Support

Drug Detection (Ion Scanner) Support 

The Counterdrug Program has drug detection scanners, one vehicle mounted, and qualified operators (this is an additional duty for Program Members). They utilize the science of Ion Mobility Spectrometry to detect drugs and are extremely accurate. The scanning can be done in under a minute. These are portable and mobile units and are available to support your missions with a certified operator. We are having great success with these scanners.  More information on the Smiths/Barringer Ion Scan technology.

Sample Request Letter for Support

Analytical Support

Since 1990, Guard personnel have been assigned directly to law enforcement agencies to analyze the huge volume of data gathered by police officials while conducting illegal drug or narco-terrorism case investigations. Currently, we have personnel assigned at the federal, state and local levels.

You may request Analyst support by sending us a request letter.  We keep all letters on file and if funding becomes available then we will attempt to fill the positions that we can.  We also use the request letters to show an unfunded request at the National Guard Bureau level for budget purposes.

Press release from Minnesota National Guard:

Police Department awards Minnesota Counterdrug Guardsman with Chief's Award of Merit 

A Minnesota Guardsman received the Chief's Award of Merit Dec. 14 for her assistance on a three-year-old murder case, eventually resulting in a confession and a criminal charge of murder.

Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Nicole Hughes was presented the award by Chief Dolan of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) at the Minneapolis Court House.

As part of the Minnesota National Guard Counterdrug Team, Hughes was given a case that took place in 2006, but had gone cold because of lack of evidence. Minneapolis Police Officers had responded to a call involving a two year-old unconscious child and despite attempts to save him, the child died a couple days later in the hospital. Although the officers felt the child died under suspicious circumstances, there was no evidence to prove the allegation.

Hughes was assigned to the case as an analyst after a suspicion of drug use surfaced. After 30 hours of studying the details of the case, she developed a link analysis visual chart. With this information, the police re-interviewed the suspects, leading to a confession and criminal charge of murder.

"This was quite an honor for her. She is well known among the [Law Enforcement Agencies] in the metro area as the expert on [link analysis]," said Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Darrel Stuart, Counterdrug Operations.

The MPD said, this case may have remained unsolved without the assistance of the Minn. National Guard Counterdrug Program.

"This is a prime example of the good work and great assistance we have received from the military through [Staff Sgt.] Nicole Hughes and Counterdrug Operations," said Sgt. Jane Moore, MPD Gang Enforcement Team supervisor.

The Chief's Award of Merit is presented to a MPD employee for performance resulting in improved operations, outstanding community service or substantial savings in organizational costs. This award may also be granted to other LEAs or civilian City of Minneapolis employees.

Sgt. Jodi Krause • Minnesota National Guard Public Affairs

(Sample Request Letter)

Your Agency Letterhead

November 12, 20XX

Lieutenant Colonel Chad Sackett

Counterdrug Coordinator

600 Cedar Street

St. Paul, MN 55101-2597

Dear Lieutenant Colonel Sackett,

We are requesting type of support (aerial, ION Scan, or other) support from the

counterdrug program to conduct mission or training event (aerial marijuana observation,

SRT training, highway interdiction, or other).

We are requesting this support at time (if known) on Month Day, Year (give a window of

time for aerial support, if possible, to allow for bad weather and scheduling conflicts).

Additional information as necessary.

The point of contact for this request is Deputy McGruff at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

Thank you for your consideration,

\\\\\\\\\\signed//////////

John Law

Sheriff, Xxxxxxx County

Acquiring Equipment For Law Enforcement Agencies

The Minnesota National Guard Counterdrug Coordinator is the state point of contact (SPOC) for the federal government's 1033 program (surplus equipment) and the 1122 program (federal procurement). These two programs are managed through the Counterdrug office.

Weapons are available through both the 1033 and 1122 programs. 

The 1033 Surplus Equipment Program- This program allows Minnesota's law enforcement agencies to obtain FREE excess military weapons, vehicles, and other equipment.  Over $25,000,000 worth of free equipment has been given to Minnesota LEAs to date.

The 1122 Federal Procurement Program- This program allows Minnesota's law enforcement agencies to purchase items at the federal government price; to include vehicles, weapons, communications and electronic items, night vision devices, medical items, uniforms, body armor, and dog handling equipment to name a few.

The Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center is an ONDCP program to provide free technology and training to LEAs. This includes such items as Nightvision, Bodywires, and software such as Pen-Link.

http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/counterdrug/equipment/ctac/

Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center

Technology Transfer Program

The U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground Counterdrug Office administers the Technology Transfer Program on behalf of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center. In 1998, the Technology Transfer Program was enacted by Congress for state and local law enforcement. This program provides, AT NO COST to the agency, equipment and training for counterdrug deployments and operations. 
CTAC will pay for transportation, lodging, meals, per diem, and all equipment is permanently transferred to each recipient agency and becomes the property of that organization.  The only cost to the agency is the agent/officers salary.

Click here to browse the types of equipment available and fill out an application/grant to participate in the program.

---

UPDATE: Hennepin hangs up on cell phone tracker
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/86289072.html
Last update: March 3, 2010 - 7:47 PM
The latest: The Hennepin County Board for a second time has tabled Sheriff Rich Stanek's request to seek $426,150 in federal money for a cell-phone tracking device called the KingFish. The device helps law enforcement agencies by pinpointing the location of cell phones that are on but not being used.
What it means: The 4-3 vote on Tuesday looks to end, for now, Stanek's hopes to purchase a KingFish with federal funding. The deadline is nearly up for submitting this year's wish list to the county's congressional delegation.
The back story: Three weeks ago the board forwarded Stanek's requests for nearly $3.5 million in federal funds for dispatch center equipment, but declined to include the KingFish. Commissioners expressed concern that the device might lead to illegal searches and questioned whether the Sheriff's Office really needed one.
What happened: Board members debated the pros and cons of the issue on Tuesday. Some said they needed more information before going ahead with the request. Commissioner Gail Dorfman said she preferred a pilot project to determine how well the device works. Commissioner Jeff Johnson said he was convinced it was an important and useful law enforcement tool that wouldn't violate privacy rights.
How they voted: Commissioners Peter McLaughlin, Mike Opat, Mark Stenglein and Dorfman voted to table the request. Commissioners Jan Callison, Randy Johnson and Jeff Johnson voted against the layover.
KEVIN DUCHSCHERE