General:

Minnesota Statute 387.04 assigns the responsibility for civil and criminal process services in the sheriff of Ramsey County. However, inherent in any law enforcement officers duties, on occasion, is the task of executing criminal process. This may include service and execution of any of the following:

  • Arrest warrants
  • Search warrants
  • Summons
  • Subpoenas

Each entity within the Saint Paul Police Department receiving items for legal process shall comply with department procedures appropriate to the service/execution requested. (See General Order 410.00: Warrants Procedures and General Order 447.00: Execution of Search Warrant)

Procedure:

The procedure for service of process shall be as follows:

For each item received for legal process, the records unit shall complete a legal process service form -- PM 605-90 noting the following information:

  • Date and time received.
  • Unit assigned item.
  • Type of process requested.
  •  Source of document.
  •  Name and address of person concerned.
  •  Date assigned.
  •  Court docket/file number.
  •  Date service due, if applicable.

The records unit shall forward the document to the appropriate unit for service which shall note each attempt at service of process as follows:

  1. Officer assigned.
  2. Date and time service is affected /attempted.
  3. Person served.
  4. Method of service.
  5. Location.
  6. Reason for non-service.
  7. Date returned to the records unit.

On return of the document to the records unit, the date which the document is returned to the origination entity shall be noted. The completed legal process service form shall be retained in the records unit for a period of six months.

Revised March 28, 1995

Last Edited: March 20, 2017