Dolan may face data practices charges

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is being asked to investigate allegations that Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan should be charged with violating the state's Data Practices Act.

Attorney Chris Wachtler said Wednesday he requested the investigation last week, some three months after Dolan testified at a deposition about a defamation lawsuit filed by Sgt. Charlie Adams.

Adams contends Dolan's comments to the Star Tribune last November about his transfer from the homicide unit were false and defamatory.

Wachtler said, "Dolan said some things in the deposition that indicated in his own mind there might be some data practices consequences for what he was saying. The act says if you violate it willfully, you could be subject to prosecution."

Dolan said Wednesday that he just learned about the letter Wachtler sent to Sheriff Rich Stanek and that he hadn't been contacted by the Sheriff's Offfice.

Lt. John Delmonico, head of the Minneapolis Police Federation, which represents Adams and Lt. Tracey Martin, a spokeswoman from the Sheriff's Office, both declined to comment Wednesday.

Adams, a respected former detective, also is involved in a discrimination suit against the department involving four other black officers.

In announcing charges in the death nearly two months later, Huffman said a suspect told police Loesch was in the area to buy drugs.

In a Star Tribune article several days later, Adams said that there was no proof of a drug deal and that detectives in the case "shouldn't get beat up for another person's comment."

Adams and his partner on that case, Sgt. Richard Zimmerman, later apologized to Loesch's family.

In describing the transfer, Dolan told the Star Tribune that Adams was a very good homicide detective but that his relationship with his commander wasn't working.

"In one word: insubordination," Dolan told the newspaper. "He needed to go."