Safety forum raises race concerns

by Dennis Geisinger

The issue of race and its relation to recent violent crimes in South Minneapolis raised the most immediate and emotional concerns at a community safety forum held on the evening of Sept. 24 at Park Avenue Methodist Church.
Organized by 8th Ward Council Member Elizabeth Glidden, the meeting called upon city government and law enforcement to answer questions, provide updates and seek community response about a number of violent assaults that have occurred recently in or near the Powderhorn, Central, Bancroft, Bryant and Kingfield neighborhoods. During a question and comment period, the topic of gangs and the city’s commitment to minority outreach touched off opposing reactions from the audience.

One local woman thanked police for their efforts in the arrest of gang members allegedly responsible for the murder of a family member.
“Are we going to take back our city from the gangs?” she asked.
“A lot of these crimes are gang-related,” said 3rd Precinct Police Commander Lucy Gerold. “The 3rd Precinct has had five arrests for aggravated assault involving guns since Labor Day. Four of those five involved Bloods gang members,” Gerold said.

Gerold also said that she’s been “hearing [stories] bubbling up lately” linking attacks on bicyclists to gang-related initiations. Police Chief Tim Dolan said that such crimes represent “three or four sporadic incidents” that “do not fit into a major pattern.”

But one recent incidence of extreme violence calling gang activity into question was the Sept. 13th discovery of 41-year-old Mark Loesch’s body on a front lawn on the 3700 block of Elliot Ave. after a fatal beating he had received while riding his bike alone.

“The inspectors are actively interviewing people in the neighborhood, business owners, people who have contact with the neighborhood,” said Police Lt. Amelia Huffman. “At this point, Mark’s death is a mystery,” said Huffman.

“There’s not one person here who thinks that this was done by a white,” said local activist Al Flowers, pointing to fellow audience members. “I don’t mean to accuse anyone. I’m saying that downtown is not supporting the Urban League. They won’t let the African-American community address its own problems,” Flowers said, indicating officials on the stage. As a member of the Minneapolis Police Community Relations Council and local NAACP, Flowers has his own combative history with city government and police.

“We need to put more money into the hearts and souls of these kids,” said V. J. Smith of MADDADS.

Others in the audience questioned the lack of minority representation in city government and police and the city’s efforts to bring Latinos and other minority groups into the discussion about crime.

“I’ve lived here in the neighborhood for 15 years,” said one man. “This audience here tonight does not look like the people in my neighborhood.”
“We have the most racially diverse police department in Minnesota,” said Chief Dolan. “And that’s the way it should be. But I do agree that we are being penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to crime prevention,” Dolan said.
“It costs about $3 million to make an arrest and prosecute a homicide,” said Dolan. “The more people and resources we can involve in prevention, the more we’ll save at the other end,” he said.

Dolan gave a one-word response to a representative of a local Latino church who requested the possibility of a meeting between him and those of her congregation who have complaints against his officers. “Si,” he answered.
Inspector Gerold also spoke of directed patrols focusing on area hot spots and a buy-back project that provides money to keep officers who have finished their regular shifts as a presence in neighborhoods.

Target zones with high crime rates are also being given increased police presence and scrutiny, Gerold said.

Mayor R. T. Rybak said his recently proposed city budget for 2008 calls for $200 million in spending on public safety, $6 million more than what was budgeted this year. The increase means hiring 18 more police officers, four additional 911 operators and funds for initiatives that will address youth crime, according to Rybak.

“The trend of rising crime among youth is an issue facing many of our country’s cities,” said Rybak at the forum’s outset. “But now, for the first time in years, figures for violent crime citywide are down,” Rybak said.

According to statistics provided by the mayor’s office, violent crime in the city has dropped 14 percent and is going down in every single precinct. Minneapolis homicides are down 24 percent, robberies down 18 percent and aggravated assaults are down by 10 percent.

The community organization 50 More Cops responds by pointing out that violent crime has risen 12 percent since 2005, and continues to pressure Rybak to keep to his 2006 promise to add 43 officers to the police force.