Apple Valley resident Shelly Schaefer has been appointed to the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training as a higher education administrator.

Gov. Tim Walz announced seven new members, which included Schaefer, for the POST Board on Feb. 11. The board is responsible for setting regulations and controlling the training and licensing of police officers in Minnesota. Schaefer’s term became effective Feb. 16 and expires Jan. 6, 2025.

In July, Walz signed the Minnesota Police Accountability Act, authored by members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus, which will begin to address systemic inequities in Minnesota’s criminal justice system. The bill included a framework of accountability law enforcement through:

• Expansion of the POST Board and creation of a Police-Community Relations Council at the POST Board;

• Reforming how arbitrations of the termination of law enforcement officers are handled;

• Requiring robust, real-time data collection and analysis of complaint, discipline and use of force data and use it to inform reforms at the POST Board, particularly as it relates to licensure decisions.

The POST Board recently underwent an extensive external audit that identified several areas of improvement, from pre-service education reform to transforming the Board’s regulatory function. The Board has begun implementing many of the recommendations, such as an overhaul of its rules. These new appointees, along with current Board members, will work toward engaging peace officers, the community, and stakeholders across the spectrum in prioritizing the recommendations and ensuring the Board is focused on how to improve effectiveness, transparency, and trust in law enforcement.

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