Nearly 8 years after Philando Castile's death, Falcon Heights considers new contract with St. Anthony Village Police
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — Falcon Heights may pursue a law enforcement contract again with the St. Anthony Village Police Department, years after the two parted ways following the shooting death of Philando Castile.
Both cities will meet in a joint workshop on Thursday evening to discuss a possible reunion after Falcon Heights and the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office decided to wrap up their policing agreement that began in 2018.
Falcon Heights officials say the city and the sheriff's office reached an agreement last March to find "a better long-term fit." Both entities are working to finalize a one-year contract that would extend RCSO's policing duties through the end of 2024.
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St. Anthony Village previously provided policing for the city between 1994 and 2017, with the partnership ending months after its former officer, Jeronimo Yanez, fatally shot Castile during a traffic stop on July 6, 2016, on Larpenteur Avenue in Falcon Heights near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
Yanez later said he pulled over Castile, a 32-year-old Black man, with the pretense of a broken tail light because he believed Castile resembled an armed robbery suspect.
Seconds after Castile announced he had a firearm on him and a permit to legally carry, Yanez shot him several times at point-blank range. A 4-year-old girl sitting in the backseat and her mother, seated up front, were not hurt.
Yanez was charged and later acquitted of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm.
"As we discuss a potential relationship, it's imperative that we recognize Philando and the impact his killing had on all of us — including his loved ones, the communities of Falcon Heights and St. Anthony Village, our leaders and our staff, along with the members of the St. Anthony Police Department and their families," said Falcon Heights City Administrator Jack Linehan.
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St. Anthony Village city officials say its police department's policy manual was updated and expanded in 2019, with its officers now required to undergo de-escalation and crisis intervention training, as well as implicit bias education.
The joint meeting is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the St. Anthony Village Council Chambers. Officials say it is only an initial step in the process, with more meetings and opportunities for community feedback to come.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is July 6, 2023.