St. Paul police chief says Rep. John Thompson misused his office in police interaction

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St. Paul police say state Rep. John Thompson yelled at officers Sunday after his daughter was pulled over, prompting a sharp rebuke from the city's police chief.

Thompson, an independent from St. Paul, arrived at a scene where police had pulled over his adult daughter, who had expired tabs and had swerved out of her lane, according to a St. Paul police summary. The department said he started yelling at officers over their treatment of his daughter and handing out his legislative business cards.

The legislator has clashed with police in the past. In one incident last year, he contended a St. Paul officer racially profiled him during a traffic stop when he was cited for driving with a suspended license. Thompson and his attorney did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

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The officer who pulled over Thompson's 26-year-old daughter Sunday smelled "illegal drugs coming from the van," according to police, who also said she was driving with a suspended license. She refused to cooperate with officers, police said, but they allowed her to go home with Thompson rather than take her into custody. Police have requested the city attorney charge her with a third-degree DWI for refusing a sobriety test.

This is his first term in the Legislature, where he previously was part of the DFL caucus. Democrats expelled him after domestic abuse accusations and questions about where he lived surfaced last year.

https://www.startribune.com/st-paul-police-chief-says-rep-john-thompson-misused-his-office-in-police-interaction/600167862/

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1. Rep. John Thompson disputes police account, says daughter had a mental health episode

Rep. John Thompson Disputes Police Account Of Traffic Stop Involving Daughter, Says She Had ‘Mental Health Episode’, 4/26/22

State Rep. John Thompson on Tuesday said he did not attempt to misuse his position as an elected official or intimidate police officers when he showed up to a traffic stop involving his adult daughter, disputing a police report of what happened.

His reaction was that of a concerned father responding to a child in crisis, he said.

. . . said he “certainly would not attempt to misuse, intimidate or bully police officers with [his] official position.”

“I responded as any concerned father would, arriving at a chaotic scene to help deal with my frightened daughter, who was having a verifiable mental health episode, which was triggered by the large presence of the SPPD,” Thompson said.

Officers at the scene let Thompson take his daughter home, declining to take her into custody and then referring the case to the city attorney, according to the police report.

Thompson praised the police officers for how they handled the situation.

. . . Thompson’s legislative assistant did not respond when asked if Thompson would authorize release the body camera video.

More: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/04/26/rep-john-thompson-disputes-police-account-of-traffic-stop-involving-daughter-says-she-had-mental-health-episode/

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From MPR 4/25/22:

. . . The officer called for backup and police placed a “pursuit terminator” under the van to prevent it from leaving. As that happened, police said another vehicle approached at high speed and Thompson got out and started yelling at police, saying the van’s driver was his daughter and accusing them of mistreating her.

Thompson also told officers he was a state representative and police released a photo of a business card they said he showed police at the scene.

“Thompson continued to yell and scream in an irate fashion — and mention his elected position several times — as the van’s driver continued to ignore officers and made a video call,” police said in a statement that accompanied a report about the incident.

. . . Police said they eventually gave up trying to administer a field sobriety test and allowed the van driver to leave the scene with Thompson with the intention to seek charges against her later.

A police spokesperson also said that Thompson himself could face charges in the matter.

More:https://www.mprnews.org/story/2022/04/25/police-st-paul-lawmaker-intervened-in-traffic-stop-of-daughter

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2. He should, then, to allow the body camera

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3. The way he's kissing up now makes me really curious about what's on the video

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/04/26/rep-john-thompson-disputes-police-account-of-traffic-stop-involving-daughter-says-she-had-mental-health-episode/

Thompson praised the police officers for how they handled the situation.

“Additionally, the law enforcement officers on scene treated me with the utmost respect and I want to highlight the exemplary job the officers did deescalating the situation,” he said. “Thank you. I have faith the handling of my daughter and I creates the standard of treatment going forward when dealing [with] mental health issues.”

ETA: Or, St. Paul Police very wildly and profoundly mischaracterized the encounter. Not what I think, but it's a possibility. I don't think they would be dumb enough to come up with a story that is way out of whack with what's on the video, but it's a possibility.