Saint Paul, MN Police Chief Named in Class Action Alleging Unlawful Seizure of Firearms

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Saint Paul, Minnesota Chief of Police Todd Axtell is the defendant in a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges he, in his official capacity, violated the Constitution after officers under his oversight unlawfully seized a registered firearm from the plaintiff during a vehicle stop.

The lawsuit notes that the plaintiff and a passenger were pulled over by Saint Paul police officers in unmarked vehicles in July 2015. Before the plaintiff’s vehicle was searched, the man, who the lawsuit says is licensed to carry a gun, informed one of the officers that he had a firearm in the door of the vehicle. During the search, the case continues, officers found “a small amount of marijuana and a digital scale.” The firearm and marijuana and scale were seized, the lawsuit says, and the plaintiff was reportedly released within an hour of interviewing with an officer.

The case takes issue with the officers’ alleged refusal to return the plaintiff’s firearm. The man claims in the case that he made several inquiries into the return of his gun, and was informed in December 2015 via letter that he could come to the Saint Paul Police Department to retrieve his property. Upon doing so, the lawsuit alleges, the plaintiff was denied his firearm. Subsequent requests for the return of his weapon, made as recently as August 2017, have yielded nothing, the lawsuit claims.

“In a letter to the plaintiff, the defendant, through a subordinate, told the plaintiff that ‘it is the decision of the Saint Paul Police Department to deny [his] request,’” the case reads, further stating the letter advised the plaintiff that his firearm was sent for ballistic testing and will remain in possession of the Saint Paul PD until July of next year.