Year after year I’ve been told that the police simply do not have the resources to cover the area effectively.
Watching the debate over the funding for the new Vikings stadium I found myself amazed at the enthusiasm shown by some members of our city government. They went to the state capital, moved any obstacle, fought any opponent, made the case in all media, solved any problem, and did whatever it took to get the funds. This after being told for years that the idea of getting funds for additional police was nigh impossible, it can’t be done, don’t even try, tough luck, deal with what we have.
This is not anti-stadium, I understand the reasons it needed to be done, it was a must do situation for the vitality of downtown Minneapolis. However violent crime in North Minneapolis is also a must do task, for the same reason. I’m sure I am not the only resident who would appreciate the same enthusiasm and motivation when it comes to having enough police. Bottom line we need enough police to create at least a modicum of deterrence and we’ve been asking for such for a very long time. To watch the owners of the Minnesota Vikings cut to the front of the line is disappointing to say the least, and even angering considering recent events.
The guns are being fired because those who are pulling the trigger know that unless they kill someone, their actions will more than likely not result in consequences. They know that a police officer is not near, and will not arrive for quite some time, or may not arrive at all.
Using the burglary statistics provided by the Minneapolis Police Department for May 2012 YTD I find eight Northside neighborhoods out of a total of 88 city-wide represent 27% of the burglaries, 31% of the aggravated assaults, 38% of the arson cases, and 43% of the homicides. The shot spotter and crime maps also clearly show that order does not prevail at this time.
Without an increased level of deterrence, nothing else can happen. New ideas, no matter how good can be successful unless there is a foundation of order. To get order there needs to be adequate deterrence; the criminals we are dealing with won’t stop because you gave them a “give peace a chance” button to wear or held a peace rally, they need to be actively discouraged.
Case in point, a WCCO interview with Police Chief Timothy Dolan on July 13 that indicates an increase in police results in an increase in deterrence. During the week of the Fourth of July $60,000 in police overtime coincided with a 30% drop in gunfire in North Minneapolis.
Looking at where the money is going indicates a rather serious problem with what our government considers priority.
Jesse Keenan,
Webber-Camden