‘Deeply troubling’: Law enforcement reacts to Moriarty decision limiting felony prosecutions

"Guns, drugs, and fugitives discovered during traffic stops will now walk free, while officers are left powerless to act," said MPPOA general counsel Imran Ali.

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Crime Watch MN
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ICE
A Hennepin County Sheriff's vehicle parked outside the jail in January 2025. (Hayley Feland/Alpha News)

After Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that her office would no longer be charging felony crimes that arise from “low-level” traffic stops, Hennepin County law enforcement agencies pushed back, calling the move “harmful” and “deeply troubling.”

Moriarty established the new policy targeting what she claims are non-public safety traffic stops or “pretextual” stops, which she said in a press release “actively harm our community, particularly our Black and Brown community members.”

Moriarty cited Minneapolis Police Department data from 2017 and 2018 for equipment and moving violations, in which she says a gun was recovered less than half of one percent of the time. “This is a gun recovery failure rate of 99.5 percent,” she said.

Several members of the Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt released a statement and also held a press conference at Minneapolis City Hall Friday morning to speak against the “blanket” policy they say puts criminals first over community safety.

Sheriff Witt called out the statistics Moriarty cited from 2017 and said, “what we’re dealing with in 2025 is not what we were dealing with in 2017,” and referenced the recent mass shootings in Minneapolis.

Sheriff Witt said that lawful and routine traffic stops have led to the recovery of at least 175 illegally-possessed guns this year, which is 47% of the 377 illegally-possessed guns deputies have recovered this year. She said it’s also “common” to find drugs like fentanyl during the stops.

Witt cited statistics stating that her jurisdiction has conducted more than 93,000 traffic stops so far this year, with only 624 leading to arrests. Witt said the bulk of the thousands of stops result in educating the public and safety equipment issues. Most times, stops don’t result in vehicle searches, she said.

Minnetonka Police Chief Scott Boerboom, who is also the president of the Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association, said the 45 communities that comprise Hennepin County are vastly different and have diverse community safety needs. He said Moriarty’s “harmful” and “one-size-fits-all” policy will have serious consequences for policing and public safety.

Boerboom made the case that equipment violations are indeed public safety issues. He said that areas of Minnetonka are more rural and are not well-illuminated. They have a lot of bicycle and pedestrian traffic, he said, and not addressing vehicles for too-dark window tint, or inoperable headlights or wiper blades could result in greater pedestrian fatalities and injuries.

Chief Boerboom said they were blindsided by this policy, and none of the cities’ police chiefs were asked for input before Moriarty rolled out the policy this week. “This new directive is deeply troubling” he said, “and we felt we had no choice but to speak out today.”

“This policy … was made without consultation, collaboration, and without respect for those of us who serve these residents every day,” Boerboom said.

Boerboom went on to say that the lack of transparency and communication from Moriarty’s office is part of a larger, ongoing problem. He said his department recently stressed to representatives from Moriarty’s office the importance of working together and including the voices of law enforcement and the community, but “once again, we were ignored.”

Legislators react to ‘radical’ policy

Elected officials also weighed in with statements on the new no-charging policy.

Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, released a statement in response to Moriarty’s “radical” policy to ignore felony charges.

“Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision to drop most felony prosecutions stemming from traffic stops is a slap in the face of her constituents, and demoralizing to the law enforcement agencies that work hard every day to keep people safe. This isn’t just Minneapolis — this affects more 30 law enforcement agencies that work in Minnesota’s most populated county,” Limmer commented. “For example, upon a stop for broken taillight, if a police officer finds a gun or illicit drugs in the car the county attorney will refuse to prosecute either crime. While the criminals get a free pass, Moriarty has tied the hands of hundreds of peace officers in our state.”

Rep. Paul Novotny, R–Elk River, said in a statement that he intends to pursue legislation to reverse Moriarty’s “harmful” decision.

“Moriarty’s decision to stop prosecuting criminals is foolish and will endanger the safety of countless Minnesotans. I plan to work on legislation to reverse this ridiculous new policy that lets repeat gun criminals walk free at the expense of public safety,” he said. “If we actually intend to stop future gun crimes, we need to prosecute the offenders so they can’t go out and hurt more people. Moriarty’s new policy will only lead to increases in gun violence because repeat gun criminals will be let off the hook.”

Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association general counsel Imran Ali also released a statement on the decision.

“The city of Minneapolis is under siege with violent crime—and this is what County Attorney Moriarty chooses to prioritize? Her new policy is a gift to criminals and a slap in the face to law-abiding Minnesotans. Guns, drugs, and fugitives discovered during traffic stops will now walk free, while officers are left powerless to act. This reckless decision doesn’t just weaken law enforcement—it puts every family in greater danger.”

Past cases

Crime Watch Minneapolis has reported on several cases in which routine traffic stops have led to the discovery of guns, drugs, and violent offenders.

In 2022, Plymouth police conducted a traffic stop for expired registration and a revoked driver’s license that led to the discovery of 17 grams of meth, ¼ gram of fentanyl and illegally-possessed ammunition by a seven-time convicted felon, Steven Anthony Helvig.

In 2023, Minneapolis police confiscated 1,800 fentanyl pills and more than $4,000 in cash during a traffic stop in the 3rd Precinct of south Minneapolis.

In 2023, a Hopkins police traffic stop for expired tabs led to the arrest of Minneapolis gang member and murder suspect Leontawan Holt.

In 2021, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced a similar decision to not charge some felony crimes that stemmed from low-level traffic stops, after which he was also criticized.

Moriarty claims she’s seeking input on the policy and will hold a “community conversation” on the topic on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. at an undisclosed location. People can sign up to attend the event and will presumably be given the location upon registration.

Notably, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was not at the law enforcement press conference on Friday and had not publicly weighed in on the decision as of late Friday.

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

 

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

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