With the Metro Gang Strike Force permanently shut down, the advisory board that oversaw the unit voted Wednesday to ask state Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion to use leftover Strike Force money to cover overtime for Twin Cities law enforcement agencies, to fight gangs.

The board's request, proposed by Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, drew a quick response from the Public Safety Department, which said Campion first wants to hear the results of an investigation of the Strike Force, headed by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger.

He was assigned to lead the inquiry after the state Legislative Auditor's office reported it could not find more than $18,000 in funds the Strike Force seized or account for dozens of vehicles the unit seized.

"The commissioner shares (the board's) passion (for) and commitment to fighting gangs," said Doug Neville, a spokesman for the Public Safety Department. "But we have the responsibility to be sure we spend the money appropriately and effectively, and that wouldn't be prudent until we receive the report from Andy Luger."

The advisory board was told Wednesday that Luger's report is expected in August.

Neville noted that the Legislature appropriated the money to support a multi-jurisdictional task force.

He said a plan to use it instead for overtime pay must first be approved by a separate board, the Minnesota Gang and Drug Oversight Council. After that, said Neville, it would require Campion's approval.

Citing continued gang violence, Fletcher, who has been at odds with Campion over the Strike Force, first proposed using the money for overtime in a letter on Tuesday to Campion. The letter stated that nearly $1.5 million of unspent funds were available, which could pay for 30,000 officer hours of "potential gang-suppression efforts."

But Neville said that some bills still need to be paid and that he believed the actual amount left over would be closer to $1 million.

On July 17, Campion shut down the Strike Force, its advisory board and an interim anti-gang unit. Campion noted that too few law enforcement agencies were willing to participate. Hours before, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said the Force lacked credibility and that his office was withdrawing from the unit and recalling Force Commander Chris Omodt, a sheriff's captain.

The consensus of the board was that while Campion had the authority to withhold funds from the Force, he lacked the power to disband it. Nonetheless, the board decided that because of unresolved issues, it would meet monthly until the end of the year, then cease operations.

Randy Furst • 612-673-7382