Crime, Law and Justice

St. Paul officials push review of sheriff's livestream

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher announces his office's new body-camera policy on Friday during a press conference in September 2019. Three St. Paul City Council members are pushing for a formal review of Fletcher’s practice of livestreaming video of his patrols.
Nina Moini | MPR News 2019

Three City Council members in St. Paul are pushing for a formal review of Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher's practice of livestreaming video of his patrols.

Fletcher started his “Live on Patrol” videos last year, saying it was a way to show people how law enforcement works and build trust with people, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. But the City Council members say community members have complained the shows are a distraction and problematic, especially when he has not appeared to be wearing a body camera.

The City Council members plan next week to discuss a resolution to have the sheriff's video streams and conduct reviewed by the Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training Board to determine if he broke any codes of conduct.

Fletcher said, “Some elected officials are opposed to ‘Live on Patrol’ because it builds trust with the police and that runs counter to their narrative to defund law enforcement."

His videos have received nearly 13 million views on Facebook and YouTube.