On Monday, Senator David Senjem (R-Rochester) presented legislation requiring the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to consult with law enforcement and treatment and mental health experts to craft a model policy about the use of informants. The reform would also require all Minnesota police agencies to adopt an identical or similar policy and certify it annually with the board, which licenses officers.

“When someone becomes an informant for law enforcement, they are essentially becoming employees of that department, yet they don’t receive protection or benefits like other people on the force,” said Sen. Senjem. “These folks often are making choices that put their lives or health at risk while providing a valuable service to their community. If we’re asking people to make these sacrifices, we need to ensure that we are protecting them and following procedures that try to deliver the best outcome for everyone.”

The bill, known as “Matthew’s Law,” is named after Matthew Klaus, a 32-year old Rochester resident who died of a drug overdose while working as a confidential informant for the Rochester Police Department in 2019. One of the goals of the reform is to ensure law enforcement provides better protections for informants, as well as require training for the law enforcement agencies that use them.

Matthew had worked with Rochester police in 2016 as an informant. Before his death, Mathew bought purported heroin three times and was scheduled to make a fourth buy when he overdosed in his Rochester home.