Independent review will focus on St. Paul's security plans

St. Paul hired two former federal prosecutors Tuesday to review police plans and how they were carried out during last week's Republican National Convention.

Former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger and former assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Luger will lead a team of people in the investigation. Details about who's on the team, the scope of the review, the timeline and the cost aren't yet clear.

What is clear is that the independent review will not be a fact-finding mission to explore allegations of police wrongdoing or violations of people's rights, Heffelfinger said.

Instead, the investigation will focus on the city's security plan and how it played out, and whether it was consistent with "best practices," he said.

With 3,700 officers on duty and more than 800 arrests in St. Paul and Minneapolis, including preemptive raids on alleged anarchists' activities, the convention went off with few hitches at the Xcel Energy Center. But police have been widely criticized, accused of making unnecessary arrests, using excessive force and wantonly using crowd-control devices.

Still, local officials insist police acted appropriately.

Heffelfinger said there are numerous other outlets for people who believe their rights have been violated, such as civilian review boards or lawsuits.

"I have complete confidence in the men and women of the St. Paul Police Department, and this review is an important part of continuing to provide excellent service to our community," Police Chief John Harrington said in a prepared statement. The department is planning to do an internal review.

Police looked to past events, such as the 1999 protests in Seattle against the World Trade Organization, for examples in crafting their security plan. No single model was copied for on-street security, but a mix of ideas was taken from the Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. and European cities.

Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, said she thought police used an unprecedented amount of force. An investigation is "extremely necessary," she said.

The announcement of St. Paul's formal review was met with interest across the river in Minneapolis.

"That sounds kind of hopeful, and I'll be curious to hear more," Minneapolis City Council Member Cam Gordon said. "It would be helpful if there would be a way to get public testimony so everybody gets the same kind of facts. There's lots of stories going around as to what happened last week."

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is still putting together details on what kind of review will take place, spokesman Jeremy Hanson said.

Despite the allegations and concerns, St. Paul Mayor Coleman considers the convention a success. "Conducting an independent review of this event will give our resident and future host cities better insight on what opportunities were seized, and what lessons were learned," he said in a statement.

Also Tuesday, St. Paul City Council Member Dave Thune called for a "community conversation" to discuss the effects of the convention on neighborhoods, businesses, peace activists, law enforcement and the media. "We need a civil and respectful conversation that listens to all sides. My fear today is that free speech may have suffered during the RNC," he said. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd.

Staff writer Terry Collins contributed to this report. Chris Havens • 651-298-1542