Investigation of a second complaint filed against Winnebago’s police chief and a police officer is complete and cost more than $20,000.
City Administrator Jake Skluzacek says the city paid Isaac Kaufman of Red Cedar Consulting in Edina $22,122 for the investigation that began last July.
Because of state Data Privacy Laws, says Skluzacek, findings in the report will not be made public.
“The information cannot be released by the city without express consent for its release from the employees,” he says.
The complaint reportedly alleged Police Chief Eric Olson and officer Jacob Pettit used “excessive force” during a traffic stop for a suspected driver’s license cancellation on May 6.
Because information of the investigation will remain private, that means there was no wrongdoing found and no disciplinary action will be taken.
“The City Council will vote on Feb. 9th to take no further action on the complaint,”says Skluzacek.
In another investigation, Kaufman billed the city $3,100 and determined there was no “abuse of power and overreach” when a bar owner was charged with violating an executive order to remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic.
In early July, Michelle Soldo of Soldo Consulting Group, P.C., of Woodbury began working on the investigations and Kaufman was hired later.
According to a website page, Kaufman has served 11 years as head of the Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS), Inc., the largest law enforcement union in the state.
As part of his duties he traveled throughout the state representing members in Internal Affairs investigations, grievance arbitrations and litigation.