Mankato Department of Public Safety Provides Timeline of DHS Activity from Monday
Timeline Summary – Calls for service related to Department of Homeland Security activity on 1/12/2026
During the City Council meeting on January 12, 2026, the Council requested that Public Safety Director Jeremy Clifton review and post to social media the following calls for service involving the Department of Homeland Security activities in Old Town. This summary reflects dispatch records and officer response during this time.
• At approximately 3:26 p.m., Blue Earth County Dispatch received an information-only call reporting that Department of Homeland Security agents were inside a business located in the 400 block of North Riverfront Drive.
• At 3:31 p.m., dispatch received a second information-only call indicating that approximately six agents were going door-to-door in the Rock Street area.
• At 3:32 p.m., a third information-only call was received reporting agent activity near the intersection of Riverfront Drive and Washington Street.
• At 3:41 p.m., Mankato Police Officers were notified that the situation had elevated to a disturbance.
o The reporting party indicated that approximately 25 agents were involved in a confrontation and that orange pepperball-type munitions had been deployed. It was further reported that at least one individual had been pepper sprayed.
Mankato Police Officers arrived on scene approximately two and a half minutes after we were dispatched. Officers did not find any evidence of pepperball-type munitions being deployed. Officers located an individual who had been pepper sprayed and provided assistance. No individuals responsible for deploying the pepper spray were located at the scene.
During the January 12, 2026, City Council meeting, direction was provided to review whether any reports associated with this incident included notification to dispatch or the Police Department of a firearm being observed. A review of the call information confirmed that no reports indicated a firearm was seen or reported to Mankato Police.
Director Clifton reviewed this information and determined that, based on the details of the reported behaviors within the call information, the response time of the Mankato Police Department was appropriate.
