Did the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office adopt a policy to stop prosecuting felonies discovered during all traffic stops?

Hennepin County, the largest in Minnesota, will continue to charge felony cases resulting from public-safety traffic stops but is moving away from felony prosecutions from non-public-safety traffic stops. 

The new policy, effective Oct. 15, 2025, applies to cases where charges would be based mainly on “unlawful possession and/or use of items” found during a stop initiated for things like malfunctioning windshield wipers or a broken taillight.

While prosecutorial discretion remains in the policy, a top county prosecutor must approve any charges resulting from a non-public-safety traffic stop and “will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in circumstances that endanger public safety.”

The policy aims to redirect resources to dangerous driving, including speeding and driving under the influence, but the Hennepin County sheriff and other law enforcement leaders have criticized the policy, citing illegal gun seizures that have resulted from traffic stops.