North Star Post has obtained a trove of emails between the Minneapolis Police Department and KARE11 via public records request.

The emails reveal that Rita Hathaway, KARE11 Managing Editor, then and now, received Allen’s tip email and immediately forwarded the entire email – address and all – to MPD spokesperson Scott Seroka. Seroka started working for the MPD in 2014, before that he was a reporter with KARE11.

Another tip received on the TV station’s tip line was forwarded, content and identifying information included, to the MPD. This particular email was not nearly as damning for KARE11 as the exchange that resulted in a subpoena being issued to unmask Allen, however, to see this trend surface twice in less than a week should raise alarm with the public.

The emails also shine light on the quite friendly relations KARE11 staffers have with members of the MPD communications department.

We find more intrigue and eyebrow raising questions in the documents compiled by Al while he was alive and then his family members once that was no longer true. Of interest specifically were documents prepared by Al’s union appointed lawyer, Laura Spartz. More explanation is given in the broadcast but Spartz worked out deals with the City and the higher-ups within the Public Works department that the Ditty family would have rejected in full were they given a chance. One focal point of the family’s frustration with the representation Spartz offered Al was the delayed filing of Part 3 of his grievance appeal with the City. Spartz insisted that she filed this document before Al died, but the date on top clearly shows it was after. Also for the first time, we make public the complete list of justifications that were used to terminate Al. Click here to see documents relevant to Al’s arbitration.

Emails between Minneapolis Police Department and KARE11. Click on ‘Notes’ to see highlights. 

We will continue to investigate and update this story. If you have any tips, please contact North Star Post.

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