WHEREAS, Michael O. Freeman has served with distinction as Hennepin County Attorney for six terms, totaling 24 years as the leader of Minnesota’s largest prosecutorial agency; and
WHEREAS, Freeman’s work and criminal justice initiatives in Hennepin County spurred change across the state, and promoted systemic progress; and
WHEREAS, under Freeman’s leadership, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office launched public safety initiatives related to gun violence, the Indian Child Welfare Act, vulnerable adults, domestic violence, gangs, wage theft, and diversity and inclusion; and
WHEREAS, Freeman enacted policies showing responsiveness to public input, including the elimination of grand juries in police use-of-force cases, prompt release of bodycam footage, decriminalization of some low-level crimes, expedited expungements, conviction reviews, and improved transparency through a public data dashboard; and
WHEREAS, Freeman’s accomplishments over the years include the “Drop Your Guns” firearm buyback program, formation of the Domestic Abuse Service Center, the Victim’s Assistance Program, and the Be@School Program within the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office; he also pioneered regional efforts to make grand juries appropriately representative; and
WHEREAS, Freeman has a long history of legislative action, having served as State Senator representing Richfield and Bloomington, and he continued to work on state law reformation during his tenure as County Attorney; he and his staff worked toward the successful passage of legislation to improve Minnesota’s criminal justice system, including amendments to the rules guiding mental competency proceedings, criminal sexual conduct reforms, veterans' restorative justice, and drug sentencing reform; and
WHEREAS, Freeman has partnered with federal, state and tribal agencies on initiatives, including development of the HEALS 2.0 initiative, a collaborative effort involving law enforcement, elected officials, faith communities, and businesses to address the rise in violent crime and carjackings in Hennepin County; and
WHEREAS, the County Attorney’s Office, under Freeman’s leadership, successfully litigated settlements with pharmaceutical companies for their complicity in the nation’s opioid epidemic and helped secure a 75% share of the proceeds for local governments; for its work, the office received an award from the National Association of Counties; and
WHEREAS, Freeman has advanced diversity and inclusion efforts within the County Attorney’s Office, which is now 10 times more diverse than it was in 1991, when Freeman began his first term as County Attorney; and
WHEREAS, Freeman has served as the President of the Minnesota County Attorney’s Association and the National District Attorney’s Association; and
WHEREAS, he now leaves office with a distinguished record of service to the residents of Hennepin County, who returned him to this post each time he sought it.