An inside look at the Minnesota BCA's Force Investigations Unit
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota's governor will meet with the family of a driver killed by a state trooper on Wednesday.
Ricky Cobb II died after getting stopped on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis last week. His family met with prosecutors this week. They want the troopers fired and charged.
WCCO learned what goes into the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's investigation. Agents with the BCA's Force Investigations Unit respond when officers use deadly force. The job starts with securing the scene and collecting evidence, says BCA Superintendent Drew Evans.
RELATED: Ricky Cobb II's family calls for state troopers involved in his shooting death to be fired, charged
"We're very comprehensive in what we're looking for. We may take the officer's uniform, certainly the weapons, anything else at the scene that may be relevant. If it's a shooting we gather cartridge casings. We may even take the squad car," Evans said.
Evans says the unit, which was formed following the murder of George Floyd, is independent.
"To create that assurance of that independence, unbiased approach to these cases, these agents don't work on other types of cases, they don't work day to day with other law enforcement," Evans said.
While the community waits for answers, the unit works behind the scenes. Evans calls the team fact-finders, gathering statements, and reviewing videos. In each case, they ask for an interview with the officer involved.
"Sometimes they sit down and we provide that interview process. Sometimes they provide a written statement to us, sometimes they don't at all," Evans said.
RELATED: State trooper who fatally shot Ricky Cobb II received MADD MN rookie award in May
The goal is to complete an investigation in 60 days and hand it over to a county attorney for a charging decision.
"There's certain times that we'll certainly prioritize those cases to make sure if there's a lot of public interest or concern about a particular incident to work as quickly as we can, but as thoroughly as we can, and make sure it's done with the highest quality standards," Evans said.
The Force Investigations Unit is comprised of 13 agents plus scientists. They put use-of-force case files online. Find them here.
