Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 141.80

(a) Creation . There is hereby created a department of the City of Minneapolis which shall be known as the department of civil rights, which department shall be under the direction of and responsible to the mayor.
(b) Duties generally . Such department shall provide all administrative services for the commission and the Police Conduct Oversight Commission.
(c) Appointment of director; powers and duties . The mayor shall appoint and the council shall confirm a director of such department who shall be the head of the department and such director may appoint such other employees as may from time to time be authorized by the city council. The director is responsible for the following duties:
(1) Complaints : Receive verified complaints alleging discrimination from aggrieved persons who believe discrimination has occurred.
(2) Investigation : Make such investigation as the director may deem appropriate to determine whether there is reason to believe that the allegations of discrimination are well founded.
(3) Conciliation : Engage in conciliation and persuasion to try to eliminate the acts or practices complained of, and may obtain as part of conciliation the costs and all other expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by the department in handling the complaint.
(4) Effectuate public policy : Effectuate the public policy of the City of Minneapolis regarding issues of civil rights by means of public information and education, mediation and conciliation, and enforcement.
(5) Referral : When deemed necessary, refer a complaint to the commission or any other legal organization deemed appropriate by the director.
(6) Subpoenas : Subpoena witnesses and require the production for examination of any books, papers or documents relative to any verified charge under investigation or in question as the director deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this title.
(7) Enforcement of a subpoena:
a. May apply to the district court to punish a person who disobeys a subpoena issued by the director in like manner as a contempt proceeding is initiated in the district courts of this state.
b. It is not a violation of rights conferred by Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statutes, or any other statute related to the confidentiality of government data, for a city department or independent board or agency to provide data or information under a subpoena issued by the director under this section.
c. A subpoena issued under this section must be served personally or by mailing a copy of the subpoena, by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the person to be served. A subpoena served by mail must include two (2) copies of a notice and acknowledgment of service on a form to be provided by the director and a return envelope, postage prepaid, addressed to the director. If acknowledgment of service is not received by the director within twenty (20) days, service is not effective. Unless good cause is shown for not doing so, a court or administrative law judge shall order the payment of the costs of personal service by the person served if the person does not complete and return the notice and acknowledgment of receipt of the subpoena within the time allowed.
(8) Temporary relief : If at any time after the filing of a complaint, the director has reason to believe that a respondent has engaged in any unlawful discriminatory practice or the director has determined that there is probable cause to believe that a respondent has engaged in discrimination, the director may file a petition in the district court in a county in which the subject of the complaint occurs, or in a county in which a respondent resides or transacts business. This petition shall seek appropriate temporary relief against the respondent, pending final determination of a proceeding under this title, including an order or decree restraining the respondent from doing any act tending to render ineffectual any order the director or commission may enter with respect to the complaint.
The court shall have power to grant such temporary relief or restraining order as it deems just and proper, but no such relief or order extending beyond ten (10) days shall be granted except by consent of the respondent or after hearing upon notice to the respondent and a finding by the court that there is reasonable cause to believe that the respondent has engaged in discrimination.
The Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply to such petition, and the district court shall have authority to grant or deny such relief sought on such conditions as it deems just and equitable. All hearings under this section shall be given precedence as nearly as practicable over all other pending civil actions.
(9) Leadership : Exercise leadership under the direction of the mayor in the development of civil rights policies and programs, and make recommendations to the mayor, the commission and the city council for consideration and implementation.
(10) Programs : Develop and conduct programs of formal and informal education designed to eliminate discrimination and intergroup conflict, programs which will help determine compliance throughout the city with the provisions of this title, and programs which will benefit personally and economically those persons who have been subjected to discrimination.
(11) Research : Conduct research and study discriminatory practices.
(12) Publications : Furnish and distribute the results of research and study when in the judgment of the director the purposes of this title will be served thereby.
(13) Labor services : To the extent permitted by law and regulation, utilize the records of the department of Employment and Economic Development when necessary to effectuate the purposes of this title.
(14) Requests for services : Obtain upon request and utilize the services of all city and state governmental departments and agencies.
(15) Technical assistance : Develop and disseminate technical assistance to persons subject to the provisions of this title, and to agencies and officers of governmental and private agencies.
(16) Receive grants : Receive grants and payments from public agencies and charitable nonprofit corporations and deposit them with the Minneapolis City Treasurer.
(17) City contracts : Adopt and promulgate suitable rules and regulations that explain which city contractors and subcontractors are subject to or exempt from the provisions of section 139.50 . Receive complaints, investigate and monitor city contractors and subcontractors to insure that they are complying with all of the terms of this title and report the director's findings to the city council.
(18) Issuance of charge : Whenever the director has reason to believe that a person is engaging in an unlawful discriminatory practice under this title, the director may issue a charge specifying the particular section of section 139.40 or a violation of section 139.50 .
(19) Rules and regulations : Adopt and publish such rules, regulations, forms, and guidance documents as are reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this title. (Ord. of 12-30-75, § 9; 76-Or-172, § 2, 9-24-76; 82-Or-115 , § 7, 6-25-82; 83-Or-325 , § 2, 12-30-83; 92-Or-064 , § 5, 5-22-92; 2003-Or-029 , § 1, 3-21-03; 2006-Or-062 , § 4, 6-16-06; Ord. No. 2017-078 , § 2, 12-8-17)
State Law reference-- Special act relating to the appointment of director of department of human rights, Laws 1969, Ch. 937; as amended by Laws 1973, Ch. 132; Laws 1974, Ch. 105; Laws 1980, Ch. 448; Laws 1983, Ch. 220 (accepted by 83-R-340 on Aug. 26, 1983); and Laws 1986, Ch. 473 (accepted by 86-R-143 on April 11, 1986).