Consideration of Emergency Ordinance Continuing to Clarify Requirements for Law Enforcement Agencies and Officers within the City.

Staff are seeking direction on next steps with the Emergency Ordinance.

On February 23, 2026, the City Council adopted an Emergency Ordinance (found here: Mankato Emergency Ordinance) regulating Law Enforcement Activity in the community, adding the following requirements:

• Notification of Law Enforcement Presence: Law enforcement agencies intending to operate within the City should make a good faith effort to notify the Mankato Department of Public Safety of their intended presence before engaging in law enforcement activity.
• Wearing of Portable Recording Device: Any law enforcement agency operating within the City, who use portable recording devices in their own jurisdiction shall require its personnel to wear and use a portable recording system while engaging in law enforcement activity within the City.
• Facial Covering Prohibition: Except for when allowed pursuant to Minn. Stat. §609.735, a law enforcement officer shall not wear a facial covering that conceals or obscures the officer’s facial identity in the course of their duties while within the City.
• Identification upon Request: A law enforcement officer engaging in law enforcement activities within the City shall provide identifying information, including but not limited to the officer’s last name and badge number or a similar identifier, when requested by a member of the public or by City personnel. This provision does exclude law enforcement officers working. 

At the April 13, 2026, City Council Meeting, the Council adopted an updated emergency ordinance (found here: Mankato Emergency Ordinance) that went into effect on April 24, 2026, and will expire on the 61st day following the effective date, or June 25, 2026. The updated ordinance clarified the definition of “Law Enforcement Activity” to mean any effort by state, federal or local law enforcement agencies, as defined herein, to enforce local, state, or federal laws, including, but not limited to, stops, detention, execution of warrants, execution of searches or arrests.

As of the writing of this memo, the City has had no instances where we have issued a citation for a violation of the Emergency Ordinance.

Staff is requesting the Council to discuss the status of the ordinance and provide direction that may be considered at the June 22, 2026, City Council Meeting.