FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — Two east metro communities have renewed a police partnership severed in 2017 ago following the fatal officer-involved shooting of motorist Philando Castile.
Both the city councils of Falcon Heights and St. Anthony voted to approve a commitment that will have St. Anthony police officers serving and protecting their neighboring community starting on March 1, 2025. To support the renewed partnership St. Anthony PD will hire nine new employees - four patrol officers, two swing shift officers, an investigator, a community engagement officer and an administrative support person.
“The St. Anthony Police Department has provided community-oriented policing services to the residents of Lauderdale for 30 years and, for 24 of those years, to the residents of Falcon Heights,” said St. Anthony Village Mayor Wendy Webster. “This renewed policing partnership with Falcon Heights will enhance the resiliency of the St. Anthony Police Department by increasing the staff dedicated to serving all three communities while sharing the costs of high-quality community-oriented policing services.”
St. Anthony Village City Council members voted to terminate the contract following the July 2016 fatal shooting of Castile by then-St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez, who was subsequently acquitted of all charges in the incident. The Falcon Heights City Council agreed to the termination and has contracted with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office for police services since Jan. 2018.
In 2023, Falcon Heights decided the partnership with the county was not working and cited significant improvements in the way St. Anthony PD does business.
"They have really adopted a lot of new policies, new procedures since our contract had ended," said Falcon Heights city administrator Jack Linehan at the time talks began. "In 2019, they re-did their entire operations manual for all officers. They have undergone significant training and some of the direction of the department really excites us.”
Falcon Heights is currently working with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office to develop a service extension through Feb. 28, 2025.