Within Minnesota UAP
When Police Officers Report a UAP
The Anoka officers' reported 90-minute sighting shows how modern law-enforcement reports enter official UAP archives.
On this page
- What the officers said they saw
- Video, distance estimates, and limits
- Why official records do not equal proof
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
In February 2025, local law‑enforcement in Anoka, Minnesota became part of a small set of modern UFO/UAP reports when several officers reported an extended sighting of an unusual aerial object. This case is notable not just for what was reported – a multicoloured object seen for about 90 minutes – but because the witness accounts and limited video were preserved in official federal records, later declassified under the U.S. National Archives’ Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection. Those records, derived from an FBI submission, give researchers and the public rare insight into how a local sighting enters formal archival channels, even when it does not lead to conclusive identification.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
What the Officers Reported They Saw
According to the declassified FBI documents, just after 1:17 a.m. on 19 February 2025, at least three employees of the Anoka Police Department observed an object near the western horizon while conducting an after‑action briefing following a training session. The witnesses described a spherical object with rapidly changing red, green, blue and white lights, likened to “six hula‑hoops with lights around each loop,” resembling an orbital diagram. One observer estimated its size to be comparable to an SUV or a school bus.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
Over the course of roughly 90 minutes, the object was said to hover, shift position and change altitude. Witness accounts describe movements that included bursts of speed, with one statement characterising a segment of motion as moving “30–40 miles in a few seconds” and “skipping across the sky like a stone on a pond.” The object was reported to have moved in the direction of Monticello and may have been near the Monticello Nuclear Power Generation Plant at times.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
One officer used binoculars and an iPhone to record video through the optical lenses; the footage released by the National Archives is widely described in media as short and blurry rather than a clear test of the sighting’s details. Observers also noted that extreme cold hindered the use of more sophisticated optics.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
Video, Distance Estimates, and Limits of the Record
The footage associated with the sighting forms a key part of why this case entered the federal archival system, but it also illustrates typical limitations of unofficial recordings. The released video, published by outlets including FOX 9, shows a multicoloured flashing object in the night sky, but remains unclear and indistinct, making size, distance and motion difficult to interpret precisely. The FBI documents themselves, as archived, do not include any analytical conclusion about the object’s nature or origin – only the raw witness descriptions and the submitted video.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
One witness estimated the object’s altitude as between 10,000 and 30,000 feet and at times 50 miles distant, but such estimations from ground observations – especially at night without reference markers – have known limitations. No radar, flight tracking or instrument data are included in the federal records released so far.[AOL]aol.comanoka police officers reported ufo 194940844AOLAnoka police officers reported UFO sighting in early 2025, FBI filing says - AOLYesterday…
The records also mention separate instances in Anoka: a similar object seen on 17 February 2025 by a patrolling officer and a 2022 sighting near the Anoka Ice Arena recorded on a cell phone. These earlier encounters were noted as context but did not appear to lead to additional federal action.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
Why Official Records Do Not Equal Proof
A crucial point for readers interested in Minnesota’s UFO/UAP history is that official documentation – even from the FBI and National Archives – does not equate to independent confirmation of anomalous craft or extraterrestrial technology. In this case:
- The archived materials consist of witness statements and a limited video clip, not instrument readings, radar logs, or corroborating sensor data. They were submitted and preserved under provisions of the 2024 U.S. National Defense Authorization Act requiring declassification and record transfer but do not represent a classified conclusion or threat assessment.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
- The FBI closed the matter without further investigation, indicating that, from the perspective of federal law enforcement, there was nothing warranting continued action once the initial submission and archival transfer were complete.[FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul]fox9.comSource details in endnotes.
- Witness estimates of distance, speed and size are inherently uncertain in nighttime sky observations without triangulation or external calibration. Experiences from similar civilian and law‑enforcement reports often show that atmospheric scintillation, distant aircraft lights, satellites, or optical artefacts from magnified phone recordings can produce misleading visual effects.
In other words, while these records add to the corpus of official UAP documentation, they do not by themselves resolve what the object was or imply that it defies known physical explanations.
How This Fits Into Broader Official UAP Archival Trends
The Anoka case highlights a broader shift in how government and archival bodies handle reported anomalous phenomena. Under recent federal directives, agencies including the Department of Defense, FBI, NASA and the National Archives are systematically releasing records related to UAP sightings, even when they contain only witness accounts and unverified imagery. This reflects an effort toward transparency and historical completeness rather than a declaration that unexplained sightings are evidence of non‑terrestrial craft. The Anoka Police sighting’s inclusion in this collection emphasises that official records can preserve reports of unknown phenomena without endorsing any particular interpretation.[Hoodline]hoodline.comAnoka Police Multicolored Object In NARA UAP FilesHoodlineAnoka Police Multicolored Object In NARA UAP Files…
In Minnesota’s broader UAP history, the Anoka Police report joins older cases such as the famous 1979 Val Johnson encounter and numerous civilian submissions to databases like NUFORC. Each contributes to understanding public and law‑enforcement perceptions of unexplained aerial phenomena in the state, while underscoring the difference between documented accounts and scientifically confirmed occurrences.[nuforc.org]
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to When Police Officers Report a UAP. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects
Parallels the theme of formal records and reports.
In Plain Sight
Relevant to official records, investigations, and contemporary sightings.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Example marketplace items related to this page. Use the search link to explore similar finds on eBay.
Endnotes
-
Source: hoodline.com
Title: Anoka Police Multicolored Object In NARA UAP Files
Link: https://hoodline.com/2026/05/cops-watch-bizarre-tie-dye-orb-near-monticello-nuke-plant/Source snippet
HoodlineAnoka Police Multicolored Object In NARA UAP Files...
-
Source: aol.com
Title: anoka police officers reported ufo 194940844
Link: https://www.aol.com/news/anoka-police-officers-reported-ufo-194940844.htmlSource snippet
AOLAnoka police officers reported UFO sighting in early 2025, FBI filing says - AOLYesterday...
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=186930Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 186930January 27, 2025...
Published: January 27, 2025
-
Source: nuforc.org
Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=50833Source snippet
NUFORC UFO Sighting 50833July 16, 2006 — NUFORC UFO SIGHTING 50833 Occurred: 2006-06-02 23:45 Local Reported: 2006-06-05 08:36 Pacific Du...
Published: June 2, 2006
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: Suspected UFO sighting involving Anoka police officers
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZdYQyFkDWw -
Source: fox9.com
Link: https://www.fox9.com/news/fbi-files-ufo-sighting-anoka-police-department.amp -
Source: fox9.com
Link: https://www.fox9.com/video/fmc-5omqf37a76gdqz2pSource snippet
Suspected UFO sighting involving Anoka police officers2 days ago — Image: Suspected UFO sighting involving Anoka police officers SUSPECTE...
-
Source: bringmethenews.com
Title: anoka police officers reported ufo sighting in early 2025 fbi filing says
Link: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/anoka-police-officers-reported-ufo-sighting-in-early-2025-fbi-filing-saysSource snippet
Anoka police officers reported UFO sighting in early 2025, FBI filing says - Bring Me The NewsYesterday — ANOKA POLICE OFFICERS REPORTED...
-
Source: fox9.com
Title: Anoka | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St
Link: https://www.fox9.com/tag/us/mn/anoka-county/anokaSource snippet
PaulANOKA Latest news from the city of Anoka in Anoka County, Minnesota. FBI DOCUMENTS DETAIL REPORTED UFO SIGHTING INVOLVING ANOKA POLIC...
-
Source: anokamn.gov
Title: Police Department | Anoka, MNNEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS 1
Link: https://www.anokamn.gov/157/Police-DepartmentSource snippet
#### Sign up for notifications New community alert notification system Read on... 2. #### What You Need to Know If you need help, call us...
Additional References
-
Source: fox9.com
Title: Suspected UFO sighting involving Anoka police officers | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St
Link: https://www.fox9.com/video/fmc-5omqf37a76gdqz2p.ampSource snippet
Paul2 days ago — [Button: ☰ ] Imageiframe Image: Suspected UFO sighting involving Anoka police officers Image Loading Video… This browser...
-
Source: cbsnews.com
Title: Declassified FBI documents detail UFO sighting by Minnesota police officers
Link: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-ufo-sighting-anoka-police-fbi/Source snippet
CBS Minnesota2 days ago — DECLASSIFIED FBI DOCUMENTS DETAIL UFO SIGHTING BY MINNESOTA POLICE OFFICERS By Conor Wight Conor Wight Reporter...
-
Source: cbsnews.com
Title: Feds investigate after Minnesota police officer says they saw a UFO
Link: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/feds-investigate-after-minnesota-police-officer-says-they-saw-a-ufo/Source snippet
CBS Minnesota* * Minnesota * | * * * * Video * * * All News * [Twin Cities]({{ 'twin-cities/' | relative_url }}) News * Greater Minnesota News * Wisconsin News FEDS INVESTIGATE...
-
Source: anokapolice.com
Link: https://www.anokapolice.com/496/Records-UnitSource snippet
Our 4 full-time technicians are generally very busy keeping up with the roughly 25,000 reported calls...
-
Source: uapradar.com
Title: ALL BRIEFINGS Sort [Select] Latest 24 of 110 articles Witness
Link: https://uapradar.com/articles/generated/are-aliens-real-us-government-s-video-of-a-star-shaped-ufo-raises-worries-of-e.htmlSource snippet
UAP News Archive | UAP RadarLATEST UAP NEWS & ARTICLES A full archive view of the current feed across official releases, reporting, resea...
-
Source: wjon.com
Title: anoka ufo sighting february 2025
Link: https://wjon.com/ixp/65/p/anoka-ufo-sighting-february-2025/Source snippet
Anoka Police Report UFO Sighting During Training Session2 days ago — Image: A 2025 Minnesota UFO-Police Encounter Released By The FBI A 2...
Published: february 2025
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: Minnesota’s most notorious UFO sighting remains a mystery four decades later
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gss_sbU-YpcSource snippet
The Val Johnson UFO Encounter: A Sheriff vs. the Unknown...
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: Feds investigate after Minnesota police officer says they saw a UFO
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH5wsaqGq-YSource snippet
Newly declassified UFO files reveal unexplained encounters...
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: Newly declassified UFO files reveal unexplained encounters
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag2pzH6aSpYSource snippet
CBS News...
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: The Val Johnson UFO Encounter: A Sheriff vs. the Unknown
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FrPXjsL5lE
Topic Tree