Created: February 17, 2021 02:24 PM
As federal relief money flowed into local governments to help cover the costs of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, several police departments in Minnesota spent emergency funding on riot gear, Tasers, body cameras and other civil unrest equipment.
5 INVESTIGATES identified the purchases in a review of more than 1,400 spending reports from cities, towns and counties, which detailed their use of funding received through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Those expenses could potentially be flagged during upcoming audits since the federal government made it clear that such funding could only be used to cover expenditures due to the public health emergency.
5 INVESTIGATES: Federal COVID-19 aid used to buy riot gear, civil unrest equipment kaaltv.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kaaltv.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Big Lake Police Officer Tyler Sinclair has left the department after almost four years on the job in Big Lake.
Sinclair has left to join the police department in Coon Rapids, Big Lake Police Chief Joel Scharf told members of the Big Lake City Council at its Nov. 25 meeting.
Sinclair worked the night shift, and was a pilot in the BLPDâs UAV Program,. Last year Sinclair completed training as a Drug Recognition Examiner and in August was recognized as a DWI All-Star by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
The Big Lake City Council took fast action in replacing Sinclair.