Minnesota Agencies

The purpose of the council is to assist the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (POST Board) in maintaining policies and regulating peace officers in a manner that ensures the protection of civil and human rights. The council shall provide for citizen involvement in policing policies, regulations, and supervision. The council shall advance policies and reforms that promote positive interactions between peace officers and the community. The POST Board chair must place the council's recommendations to the board on the board's agenda within four months of receiving a recommendation from the council. The council shall submit a report by February 15 of each year to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives committees and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal justice policy and the POST Board.

The council must meet at least quarterly. The council shall be organized and administered under section 15.059, except that the council does not expire.

The Legislature changed the name of the council to "Public Safety Advisory Council" in 2024.

The council consists of 15 members:

• the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, or a designee;
• the executive director of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, or a designee;
• the executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, or a designee;
• the executive director of the Minnesota Sheriff's Association, or a designee;
• the executive director of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, or a designee;
• and six community members, of which: four members shall represent the community-specific boards established under section 257.0768, reflecting one appointment made by each board; one member shall be a mental health advocate and shall be appointed by the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness; and one member shall be an advocate for victims and shall be appointed by Violence Free Minnesota;
• and four members appointed by the legislature, of which one shall be appointed by the speaker of the house, one by the house minority leader, one by the senate majority leader, and one by the senate minority leader.

The appointing authorities shall make their appointments by September 15, 2020, and shall ensure geographical balance when making appointments.

As of December 1, 2021, the following individuals serve on the council:

• Senator Andrew Mathews
• Cathy Spann, Senate Minority Leader designee
• Representative Kaohly Her
• Representative Paul Novotny
• Biiftuu Adam, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
• Erik Misselt, POST Executive Director
• Dave Titus, Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association
• Sheriff Sean Deringer, Minnesota Sheriffs Association
• Chief Mike Tusken, Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association
• Anne Haines Holy Eagle, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
• Julio Zelaya, Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs
• Nick Muhammad, Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage
• Sue Abderholden, National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Nikki Engel, Violence Free Minnesota