Jacob Frey Falsely Told Voters He Banned No-Knock Warrants

MINNEAPOLIS — Jacob Frey's reelection campaign website falsely claimed that the mayor had banned no-knock warrants in Minneapolis. Frey's false claim came to light this last week after Minneapolis police shot and killed Amir Locke while using a no-knock search warrant.

Body-camera video shows an officer using a key to quietly unlock the door to the apartment where Locke was. Once inside, several officers began shouting "search warrant" and "police search warrant."

After an officer kicks the coach that Locke is on, Locke — who was sleeping — begins moving under a blanket, handling a handgun. An officer quickly shoots and kills him.

Locke was not the subject of the warrant, which was being executed on behalf of the St. Paul police homicide investigations team.

In a meeting with the city council Monday, Frey acknowledged that "as more and more people and outside groups began weighing in, language became more casual, including my own, which did not reflect the necessary precision or nuance. And I own that."

While the mayor did update the city's policy on no-knock or "unannounced entry" warrants in 2020, they were not banned. Frey handily won a second term on Election Day in November.

Following Locke's death, Frey has again attempted to reform the use of no-knock warrants. On Friday, Frey issued a moratorium on both the request and execution of no-knock warrants in Minneapolis.

There are still exceptions, according to a news release from Frey's office:

With the moratorium in effect, the only permissible way for MPD officers to execute a warrant is the “knock-and-announce” approach, which includes knocking, announcing, waiting a reasonable amount of time and only then entering. To execute a no-knock warrant under the moratorium, there must be an imminent threat of harm to an individual or the public and then the warrant must be approved by the Chief.

Locke's killing reignited criticism of the Minneapolis Police Department and the use of no-knock warrants from both anti-police and gun activists.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus issued a statement Friday defending Locke. "As seen in the body-worn camera video released by Minneapolis Police, Mr. Locke appears to be sleeping on the couch during the execution of a no-knock warrant," Bryan Strawser, chair of the caucus, said in a news release.

"He is awoken with a confusing array of commands coming from multiple officers who are pointing lights and firearms at him."

Strawser added that "Black men, like all citizens, have a right to keep and bear arms."