A working group looking at ways to fix problems with sex-assault investigations in Minnesota suggests officers receive specialized training tailored to their duties, with more advanced courses for investigators plus classes for supervisors to improve accountability. Liz Richards with the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women says the training recommendations are an “important piece” of what’s needed, but beyond that, “How does this actually get implemented on the ground? How do we evaluate the effectiveness and whether it’s really producing the change that we hope? Those are all other pieces that we’re working on, both with other POST Board groups [and] with other law enforcement.”
The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board reviews the recommendations at the end of January. It’s prompted by a Star Tribune series that uncovered problems in some parts of Minnesota with how sex assault cases are handled.