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2 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 3 Police Chief Spiess commented that although the department cannot interfere with Federal activity, if people are in fear for their safety, they should still call 911. He noted meetings that have been held with local police departments and Ramsey County to discuss the best way to ensure public safety while not obstructing Federal law enforcement. Councilmember Doolan asked if ICE would have access to public data information, recognizing that the Police Department does not ask or keep records of immigration status. Police Chief Spiess confirmed that the department still has to follow the Public Data Practices Act, but because they do not collect data on immigration, they would not have that information to share. He stated that if someone were to voluntarily tell an Officer they were having immigration issues, the department would not document that information. Councilmember Elnagdy used the example where a resident is being detained, and the Police Department does know their immigration status, either because they know the person or the person has their passport, and asked if the department could intervene in that situation. Police Chief Spiess recognized that every situation will be different and, therefore, it is hard to speak to hypotheticals. He stated that the department would do its best to document the situation, identify the agents involved, and work with local and State partners. He noted that Federal agents are under no obligation to share information with local police. Councilmember Doolan appreciated the effort of the Police Department, but recognized that some community members have lived experiences that cause distrust in the police. She was unsure how they could build trust with those members of the community or explain what to expect if they call 911 for this type of issue. She noted a recent discussion she had with a State Representative related to constitutional observers and the need for that documentation to be sent to Attorney General Ellison. She asked if the observations and documentation from the police were also sent to the Attorney General. Police Chief Spiess replied that they do not send bodycam videos to the Attorney General and explained how they provide that footage to the City Attorney's office or the County Attorney's office. Councilmember Doolan stated that all traffic laws and signals should be obeyed when acting as a constitutional observer. She asked for more information on the role of the Police Department to execute and watch for local/State law violations versus not impeding a peaceful protest. Police Chief Spiess commented that there was a situation where a member of the community, who was mistaken for ICE and was being followed aggressively, noting that this cannot happen. He stated that traffic complaints are one of the main complaints they receive. He cautioned against telling people what they can or cannot do in those situations. He noted that there have been recent demonstrations in the community that have been peaceful, and they have been happy and impressed that there have been zero issues with those. He stated that when people are not peaceful, they need to find ways to mitigate that, and it takes resources away from addressing other things in the community. Councilmember Doolan encouraged those interested to go through the constitutional observer training, as it provides good information. Councilmember Elnagdy suggested that the City host a town hall where established organizations can provide constitutional observer training.