n December 20 Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Police Chief Tim Dolan and City Council Member Don Samuels reported that violent crime in Minneapolis had fallen to its lowest level in 25 years.
In 2009 Minneapolis as a whole had the lowest level of Part I crimes (which include violent crime and property crime) in 36 years (1963), and 2010 is on course to end with approximately the same levels. The Camden Community is on pace to exceed that with a 5 percent reduction in Part 1 crime from 2009. Violent crime in Camden is also on pace to be about 1 to 2 percent lower in 2010 than it was in 2009. Citywide, violent crime is likely to be down about 5 percent compared to 2009.
"Our police department deserves an enormous amount of credit for being smart and strategic in their work to combat crime," said Rybak. "This year started out with a few challenging months, but we didn't panic. We worked harder and smarter. We analyzed our data, determined what was driving the increase in violence and adjusted our tactics. Beginning in July, the Minneapolis Police and many law enforcement partners began a new coordinated push to target gun violence and get the most violent offenders off the street. Not only did we see a 23 percent decrease in gun violence within the four months after that, but we've now seen significant declines in overall crime in the last half of the year."
That "coordinated push" involved a partnership between the MPD, the County and U.S. Attorney's offices, the ATF and other agencies to identify, prosecute and convict perpetrators of gun crimes. Dubbed "Project Minnesota Exile" by U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones, the operation sought to charge more violent felons in Federal Court where penalties are stiffer, and there is no parole. In a July 22 press conference Jones said, "We are targeting the worst of the worst, the folks who don't care, and we're giving them fair warning: if you harm the community or an innocent person as a result of your selfishness, you will feel the full force of the law. We will seek the toughest possible penalties, whether those are in federal courts or state courts."
"Our officers continue to work hard for the people of Minneapolis, and they should be proud of the results they've achieved," said Chief Dolan. "This year, we took our strategic work to new levels, using evidence-based policing to drive strategy and stay ahead of crime patterns. We're getting better information, we're better trained, and we've got better tools than ever to make Minneapolis safer. We know there's more to do, and it's a mission we undertake seriously, with great partners in the community, law enforcement and government."
Dolan also stressed the importance of community involvement and the hard work of front line patrol officers in realizing these reductions.
"The crime numbers for 2010 are very encouraging, and we know there is more work to be done," said Council Member Don Samuels, who chairs the Council's Public Safety and Health Committee. "As City government, our number one job is to make sure people feel safe in their community. We're getting better at taking a holistic approach to creating safer neighborhoods and stabilizing housing, involving law enforcement, public health, block clubs, and residents in every part of our city."
