Minneapolis has $191.5 Million budgeted for public safety in 2007 according to Mayor Rybak and Police Chief Tim Dolan who recently spoke before a special joint session of the Minnesota Senate Public Safety Finance Committee and the House Public Safety Budget Committee. Their testimony expressed their view of the public safety challenges facing Minneapolis and the efforts underway to meet them.
“Minneapolis faces a serious public safety challenge that requires us to continue to make significant investments to fight crime,” Rybak said. “We are doing just that by funding new police officers, investing in innovative public safety technology, implementing new strategies to improve crime enforcement, and making significant investments in initiatives that will prevent crime by attacking its root causes.”
Dolan noted that one of the quickest, most immediate ways to reduce growing crime numbers is by increasing the visibility and presence of police officers on the street. Dolan told lawmakers that Minneapolis intends to add over 100 new officers to the police force. This will bring the department back to 893 sworn officers – the same number Minneapolis had in 2002, prior to state funding cuts. Dolan said that Minneapolis would accomplish this despite a slowed economy, the end of federal public safety funding and $30 million less from the state each year.
Both the Mayor and Police Chief recognize that putting more officers on the street won’t solve the city’s crime problems by itself. In addition to hiring more officers, Rybak and Dolan outlined a number of other public safety strategies and initiatives that are currently in place or slated for implementation:
Dedicate $2 million over the next two years to public safety technology such as security cameras, ShotSpotter and squad car video. Smart use of technology makes police more effective and now is the time to extend those technologies into more neighborhoods. ShotSpotter technology, which tells police where gunshots are fired, and security cameras that can be linked directly to monitoring centers, help police target resources and respond quickly.
Expand funding for community prosecutors in police precincts to increase crime convictions. Continued collaboration with Hennepin County and an efficient criminal justice system are essential to the success of this effort.
Attack juvenile crime by increasing support for proven community-based youth crime prevention efforts and creating a juvenile crime unit in the police department. In the Juvenile Unit’s first two months of operation, the number of arrests of juvenile offenders committing robberies and aggravated assaults increased 115 percent and the number of juvenile offenders charged with robberies and aggravated assaults increased 50 percent compared to 2005. The Juvenile Unit’s ability to significantly increase arrests and successfully charge them stems from its effort to coordinate information on chronic juvenile offenders and focus immediately on connecting troubled youth to social service programs that help them transition out of crime.
Collaborate with other government and business partners such as the Downtown SafeZone. This initiative, a highly effective collaboration between the MPD and downtown business, has put private security on a common radio channel with police. MPD is also strengthening its collaborations in the neighborhoods. The Department’s 2007 goal is to have neighborhood crime prevention plans in place for all 83 neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Law enforcement is most effective when working in collaboration with the community.
Focus efforts to get illegal guns off the street and out of the hands of kids. Last year Minneapolis took over 1,400 guns off the street. Whenever there is a shooting anywhere in this state, one should ask “where did the gun com from?” We need to make it easier for law enforcement to use trace data on gun sales to solve crimes. State and local governments have an important role to play in making this happen.
Protect livability with improved graffiti removal and by addressing problem properties. In 2006 Minneapolis closed 25 properties responsible for 2,500 police calls. The city launched an expanded, coordinated graffiti program that includes improved graffiti removal and reporting, tougher enforcement of existing ordinances, expanded education and the installation of art walls and vines on heavily vandalized property.
Rybak acknowledged that public safety is about more than just police and fire. While direct investments in public safety are Minneapolis’ top budget priority, revitalizing our crime-challenged neighborhoods through economic development, job creation, youth engagement and stable housing is also very important. Ryback cited his office’s NorthForce project and the Minneapolis Promise as examples. NorthForce was created in 2006 to bring together every city department to direct all available resources towards revitalizing north Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Promise is a pledge to offer every Minneapolis student career counseling, summer jobs and financial aid for college.
Minneapolis residents and workers need to do their part too. Get active in your block club. If you don’t have one, start one. The Minneapolis Police Department can help. Volunteer your time with your local neighborhood association. They have a variety of opportunities for you to become involved in your community. Stay informed and keep in touch with your city officials. Ask questions and keep them accountable. Public safety is Minneapolis’ top budget priority. Let’s all work together to ensure that the resources are well spent. Working together, we can keep Minneapolis great.