Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley has raised serious concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics in the Twin Cities, alleging that off-duty police officers, who are US citizens, have been targeted by federal agents demanding proof of citizenship. Speaking at a press conference Tuesday alongside other Minnesota law enforcement leaders, Bruley said Operation Metro Surge has led to what he described as “civil rights violations in our streets.” He noted that over the past two weeks, his department and others have received “endless complaints” from community members, and that several off-duty officers were also stopped by federal authorities.“Every one of these individuals is a person of color,” Bruley said. Off-Duty Officer ‘Boxed In’ By Federal AgentsBruley detailed one incident involving an off-duty Brooklyn Park police officer who encountered Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while driving. According to Bruley, the agents “boxed her in” and “demanded her paperwork.”The officer did not have documentation with her because she is a US citizen, Bruley said. When she became concerned about the situation and attempted to record the interaction on her phone, “the phone was knocked out of her hands.”“She eventually identified herself as a Brooklyn Park officer, at which point the agents left,” Bruley said. He emphasized that the incident was not isolated.
