Letters to the Editor - To Governor Pawlenty - To Governor Pawlenty,

I am writing to you as a two and one-half year North Minneapolis resident, and former long time Uptown resident. Since I moved to the Northside, I have been victim to a house robbery totaling more than $10,000 in losses, I witnessed the aftermath of a man who was robbed, shot and killed in front of his wife on the sidewalk directly in front of my house, and I have spoken to family members who were terrorized a few months ago when a masked gunman entered their home and shot four of the occupants (one block from my home).

      I have taken these opportunities to get closer to my neighbors and community, formed a block club, and stay in close contact with my neighborhood organization and our Crime Prevention Specialists. These things are not enough - our city is in desperate need of help.

     Why do you now feel like there needs to be some action taken? Is it because the recent shootings have involved Caucasians? Is it because the shootings are now taking place in higher income areas of the city? Northside residents feel completely abandoned - we have been struggling with these crimes for years and nothing has been done to improve the situation. Quite frankly, the only thing that was done was major budget cuts that decreased moneys for law enforcement.

     Why are you now looking for funding to increase the police force in the downtown and south Minneapolis areas when the same situations that have prompted your actions have been taking place for years in North Minneapolis?

     I travel 75 percent of the time with my job and it is getting embarrassing to say that I am a resident of Minneapolis. We are once again becoming known as “Murder-apolis” around the nation. We all deserve a safer place to live.

Webber-Camden