Cyber Crime Task Force 

Cyber crime in the Minneapolis Division is investigated by the Minnesota Cyber Crime Task Force (MCCTF), a joint FBI and U.S. Secret Service task force that includes members of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and local law enforcement. FBI agents assigned to the Computer Analysis Response Team (CART) also operate out of the task force. The MCCTF continues to reach out to additional partners within the state of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota to obtain participation from Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies who are interested in forming partnerships to jointly investigate Cyber and high tech crimes. The mission of the MCCTF is to investigate violation of Federal law where the Internet and computer systems or networks are utilized as instruments or targets of terrorists, foreign intelligence services, and criminal activity.

Evidence Response Team 

The Minneapolis Evidence Response Team (ERT) is made up of FBI personnel located in Minnesota and North and South Dakota. Each member of the team has received specialized training in crime scene management as well as crime scene forensics. The team routinely responds to federal crime scenes in the three state area. It has also been called upon to respond to terrorist acts across the country including the September 11 attacks and the subsequent Anthrax letters.

Much of ERT's work is done on the various Indian Reservations in Minnesota and the Dakotas, where ERT has been called upon to provide forensic assistance in homicides and other violent crimes. Minneapolis ERT has also assisted with investigations of train and plane crashes, including the plane crashes that took the lives of golfer Payne Stewart in South Dakota and Senator Paul Wellstone in Minnesota.

When requested, ERT assists local law enforcement departments. ERT provides expertise, manpower and specialized equipment that is not always available to local departments. Minneapolis ERT also trains with state and local law enforcement departments on wide-ranging topics including crime scene management, crime scene forensic techniques, and interagency cooperation in the event of a large scale terrorist event.
 

Minnesota Joint Terrorism Task Force

The Minneapolis Division Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) is an effort to centralize and maximize the federal, state, and local investigative efforts regarding both domestic and international terrorism in the Minneapolis Division's tri-state area. The JTTF concept emphasizes the importance and efficacy of the multi-agency approach in protecting the National Security interests of the United States.

The primary mission of the JTTF is to detect and neutralize any terrorist activity in the Minneapolis Division and to investigate terrorist acts carried out by groups or organizations which fall within the definition of terrorist groups as set forth in the current United States Attorney General Guidelines. The secondary mission of the JTTF is to react to terrorist and bombing incidents.

Members of the JTTF include representatives from federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Marshals, Federal Air Marshals, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). State and local representatives include the Minnesota State Patrol, Minneapolis Police Department, Saint Paul Police Department, Minnesota Bureau of Ciminal Apprehension (BCA), Minneapolis / Saint Paul Airport Police, Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, and the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Police Department.

South Dakota Joint Terrorism Task Force

The FBI established a South Dakota JTTF in October of 2001. The South Dakota JTTF is a branch of the Minnesota based JTTF which was established in January of 2000. The South Dakota JTTF is made up of representatives from the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. The primary purpose of the JTTF is to detect and neutralize any terrorist attempts in South Dakota and to investigate terrorist activities carried out by groups or organizations which may be represented in our state.

The JTTF has been very aggressive in establishing close working relationships with all aspects of law enforcement and in our communities. Keeping an emphasis on the sharing of information, a direct line of communication has been established with the South Dakota Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN). All of the state and local JTTF members have been granted a Top Secret security clearance or are in the final approval process. Day to day operations of the JTTF are conducted out of the Sioux Falls Office of the FBI. It is important to note the JTTF covers the entire state of South Dakota. Information may be furnished to the JTTF through several avenues. An individual may call any of the FBI offices in South Dakota and law enforcement agencies can simply fill out a LIEN sheet which will be provided to the JTTF.
 

Organized Crime Task Force

The Minneapolis Division Organized Crime Task Force is composed of FBI Agents, and Agents from the Internal Revenue Service and Minnesota Department of Public Safety. This task force targets and investigates organizations involved in illegal activities such as interstate gambling, weapons trafficking, extortion, prostitution and drug trafficking.

In 2002 and 2003, the Organized Crime Task Force has dismantled several large criminal organizations involved in a large scale gambling operations and weapons trafficking. The Organized Crime Task Force works with several local and Federal law enforcement agencies such as the Minneapolis and St. Paul Police Departments, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Drug Enforcement Administration, in identifying, penetrating and dismantling these organizations.

The Organized Crime Task Force is currently focusing on several organizations with nationwide ties. The Organized Crime Task Force is working with several other FBI Field Offices on these investigations.
 

Minnesota Fugitive Task Force

The Minnesota Fugitive Task Force was established in 1992, under the Safe Streets Initiative. The Minnesota Fugitive Task Force is currently comprised of FBI Agents, officers from the Minneapolis and St. Paul Police Departments, deputies from the Hennepin and Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, and deputies from the United States Marshals Service.

The Minnesota Fugitive Task Force's mission is to track, locate and arrest individuals who have outstanding felony warrants for violent crimes. Typically, the fugitive task force apprehends three fugitives each week. The Minnesota Fugitive Task Force receives requests from state and local law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend violent fugitives. These fugitives are normally located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. If these fugitives were to flee the state of Minnesota, the Minnesota Fugitive Task Force will work with other FBI Fugitive Task Forces throughout the United States and abroad to apprehend them.

Recently, the Minnesota Fugitive Task Force has located and apprehended several high profile fugitives such as Mark William Samples. Since it's inception in 1992, the Minnesota Fugitive Task Force has apprehended well over 2000 violent fugitives.
 

Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force

The Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task force (NPSTDETF) is a multi agency entity comprised of representatives of the BIA, DCI, the Pine Ridge, Rosebud, and Cheyenne River Indian Reservations, Pierre Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies from around South Dakota.

One of the biggest accomplishments of the NPSTDETF is the enhanced cooperative efforts between Tribal and State/Local Law Enforcement.

The NPSTDETF targets serious drug traffickers on and off Indian Reservations in South Dakota recognizing these dealers don't recognize reservation borders.

Through FBI funding the NPSTDETF has established office space in Pierre, SD where Tribal investigators can work jointly with their Federal, State and Local Task force partners. FBI is a founding partner of the NPSTDETF. One seasoned FBI Agent currently coordinates the Task Force. The NPSTDETF is considered by many law enforcement officers to be a prime example of cooperative law enforcement. This group of highly skilled veteran officers from several key agencies functions as a cohesive fifteen member unit which safely apprehends dangerous drug dealers.