To continue reading this article and others for free, please sign up for our newsletter.
Sahan Journal publishes deep, reported news for and with immigrants and communities of color—the kind of stories you won’t find anywhere else.
Unlock our in-depth reporting by signing up for our free newsletter.
Support local nonprofit journalism that works for you.
Our community-based reporting is made possible by readers just like you. Become a supporter of your local nonprofit news organization today with a tax-deductible donation so we can continue doing the reporting that matters to you.
Finally, an answer.
Last night, we published a post about the work Omar Jamal performs at the office of Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher. Omar Jamal recently appeared as one of the main sources in two controversial videos from a national right-wing media outfit alleging mail-in voter fraud in Minnesota.
In the wake of that video, the Sheriff’s Office refused to disclose Omar Jamal’s job title or duties to Sahan Journal, despite our repeated requests.
In response to a public records request Sahan Journal filed with the office asking for this information last week, the Sheriff’s Office released that information today.
Some 12 hours after we posted our story, Kyle Mestad, director of the administrative division with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, wrote in an email to Sahan Journal that Omar Jamal works as a community service officer for the Sheriff’s Office.
He began the job on March 2, 2020. His job is full time, paying an hourly wage of $20.70, for an annual salary of $43,073.78.
Mestad revealed that Omar Jamal’s job duties include, but aren’t limited to:
- Facilitating communication between law enforcement staff and residents.
- Performing public relations work in the community.
- Explaining police work and procedures to the public.
- Conducting, recruitment and other community outreach activities to support office initiatives.
After Omar Jamal’s starring appearances and claims in the videos released by Project Veritas, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson stated that Omar’s comments were not a part of his professional work.
RELATED
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher won’t tell the public what Omar Jamal does for his office.
Omar Jamal, the main source for a controversial and questionable pair of videos alleging voter fraud in Minnesota, works for the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. But what does that work involve? That question has proved hard to figure out. Omar Jamal’s exact role, job description, and salary remain unknown. And the Sheriff’s Office won’t disclose…
