The administration of criminal justice consists of the identification, arrest, prosecution, punishment, and rehabilitation of a law violator and it has as its objective the voluntary compliance with the law as an alternative to punishment. Once a crime has been committed, it is the duty of the department to initiate the criminal justice process by investigating, identifying and arresting the perpetrator, to obtain necessary evidence, and to cooperate in prosecution.
As the certainty of swift and sure punishment serves as an effective deterrent to crime, the department must diligently strive to solve all crimes and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In situations involving concurrent jurisdiction, the department of police will have primary jurisdiction and responsibility for the investigation of all criminal offenses within the City of Saint Paul. When jurisdiction becomes a prosecution or other issue with federal, county, or other law enforcement agencies, the department will strive to cooperate with these agencies if it is mutually determined by officials involved that the successful and/or fullest prosecution under the law would be better served by turning the investigation over to the other agency.
Revised July 1, 2011