Former Hennepin Sheriff Hutchinson reinstated as Metro Transit police sergeant with a pay bump

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.startribune.com/former-hennepin-sheriff-hutchinson-reinstated-as-metro-transit-police-sergeant-with-a-pay-bump/600242373/

Former Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson, who went on paid medical leave from his elected position last May and was censured by the county for creating a hostile work environment, has been reinstated as a sergeant in the Metro Transit Police Department, according to information obtained Tuesday.

According to the Metropolitan Council, Hutchinson was reinstated Jan. 2 as a sergeant at $55.09 per hour, or $114,587 annually. When he left Metro Transit as a sergeant in December 2018, shortly after his surprise election as county sheriff, he was paid $44.26 an hour, or $92,060 a year.

Metro Transit spokeswoman Terri Dresen declined to discuss Hutchinson's job status, duties or assignment, but in response to the Star Tribune's data practices request, he is listed as an "active" employee.

Dresen did, however, say that since Hutchinson's "reinstatement, a formal complaint has been filed. The Met Council takes this complaint very seriously and has begun a full investigation into the allegations." She did not elaborate on the nature of the complaint.

[sarisataka]

1. I wish I could screw up on my job so bad

That I get a nearly 25% pay increase

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Once you're on the grift-go-round, it's almost impossible to fall off.

[geardaddy]

3. That's maddening.

[iemanja]

4. Thanks Frey

[progree]

5. I don't get how the Minneapolis mayor has any role in this ... it's the Met Council

Metro Transit is an operating division of the Met Council

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/fmr-hennepin-co-sheriff-dave-hutchinson-gets-previous-police-job-back-with-more-pay/

various excerpts:

Dave Hutchinson was reinstated to his prior job with Metro Transit Police, and not everyone's happy about it.

Before he was elected sheriff in 2018, Hutchinson was a sergeant with MTPD. WCCO has learned that a state statute forced the department to give him that same job back once his term ended.

That statute also gives Hutchinson raises as if he never left, bumping his salary by about $20,000 – to nearly $115,000 a year.

Now he's under investigation again. A spokesperson for the Met Council gave this statement to WCCO Tuesday evening: "Since Mr. Hutchinson's reinstatement, a formal complaint has been filed. The Met Council takes this complaint very seriously and has begun a full investigation into the allegations."

It's unclear what the complaint is regarding. WCCO has also learned he's on paid leave while that investigation continues.

. . . Met Council sources say they are furious they had to rehire him.

Late Wednesday evening, Minnesota State Sen. Warren Limmer says he is trying to get that statute repealed.

This article is from January 10. There might be more developments since then, I haven't checked.

[iemanja]

6. Frey has control over the police force and everyone who is on it

and now that voters made him king, he has even more power over them. Getting them to do their job has never been his priority.

Your excerpt says nothing about Frey's authority regarding the police.

[progree]

8. No, but I don't buy that Frey has authority over the Metro Transit police force. Metro Transit

is a regional service that encompasses the greater metro area -- Minneapolis, St. Paul, many suburbs. I have never heard of Frey being in charge of all of the police in the metro area. So we will just have to disagree on that.

[iemanja]

7. From MPR

Before the new provisions granting Frey more power: "In the past, the Minneapolis mayor had sole control of only the police and civil rights departments. Oversight of other city departments was shared with the city council, through an executive committee. That now-defunct body was made up of the mayor, council president and several other council members.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2022/01/10/new-era-in-minneapolis-as-more-power-shifts-to-mayor

[progree]

9. That's not the 7 county metro area, that's Minneapolis.

[iemanja]

11. Oh, I see

My mistake.

[progree]

12. No problem 🌺 /nt

[progree]

10. Metro Transit Police careers page: "Our jurisdiction covers eight counties"

https://www.metrotransit.org/data/sites/1/media/police/metrotransitpolice_careers.pdf

Our jurisdiction covers eight counties – Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota, Scott, Washington, Carver and Sherburne – 90+ cities and more than 110 Park & Ride lots