CRYSTAL, Minnesota — A well-known lieutenant with the Crystal Police Department who also served as a use-of-force expert in high-profile trials has been charged with improperly accessing data related to an ex-girlfriend.
Derrick Hacker, 48, faces 18 different gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor charges, including multiple counts of misconduct of a public officer, unauthorized computer access and willfully violating the government data practice act.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began last June, when the 24-year-old daughter of Hacker's ex-girlfriend contacted Crystal Police to complain that Hacker had unexpectedly shown up asking about his 52-year-old ex. Hacker claimed to the residents that he was investigating an identity theft case involving the woman. But her daughter doubted his motives.
A Crystal Police chief deputy then found on Hacker's desk several phone numbers, vehicle information and a print-out of the woman's driver's license that had to be obtained from a secure website belonging to the Minnesota Department of Driver and Vehicle Services, also called DVS.
Further investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) found Crystal Police had no open identity theft cases involving the woman, but Hacker made 60 DVS searches for her name between February 2019 and June 2021.
Court papers say the two dated from 2014 to 2016, and when interviewed by investigators, the woman said she hadn't spoken with Hacker since then.
When a BCA investigator interviewed Hacker, he claimed to be following up on a tip call about stolen mail and identity theft, but the BCA was unable to find any such tips related to that woman, according to the complaint.
Hacker started as a patrol officer with Crystal Police in 1999 and held six different titles over 23 years.
In 2015, he played an instrumental role in the investigation of the murder of 10-year-old Barway Collins that ultimately resulted in the conviction of Barway's father Pierre Collins.
Then in 2017, Hacker testified for the state as a use-of-force expert in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor in the death of Justine Ruszczyk that ended in a conviction.
At last check, Hacker was on paid administrative leave at the Crystal Police Department.
When reached for comment, Hacker's attorney Paul Rogosheske said there was no crime committed, and that Hacker is being targeted for retribution after testifying against a fellow officer in the Noor trial.
"He's a 23-year lieutenant with an impeccable record. All the sudden he testifies for the state against Noor, gets investigated for a year and they want to fire him?" Rogosheske said. "The funny thing about the criminal charges is that the allegation is he accessed information on a woman he never had contact with. I don't know where the crime is."
Crystal Police Chief Stephanie Revering sent KARE 11 this statement:
"Mr. Hacker was placed on paid administrative leave after we received the initial complaint and this is his current employment status. We immediately requested third parties to conduct independent criminal and internal investigations regarding this complaint. The results of the criminal investigation are contained in the criminal complaint.
The mission of the Crystal Police Department is to serve all residents with compassion, integrity and professionalism. We see this mission as more than just words on paper and will not allow any of our officers, supervisors, or support staff to conduct themselves in any manner that is contrary to that mission. We are very proud of the reputation we have with the community we serve and the trust our community places in us every day and will not tolerate any criminal or unethical conduct that tarnishes that reputation."
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist:
