Samuels- Public Safety Policy

7/30/2019 Samuels- Public Safety Policy

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Public Safety Policy

The history of crime and public safety in Minneapolis reads like a fiction novel. Corruption,cronyism and discrimination were rampant in the City of Minneapolis for much of the first half

of the 20th century, until Mayor Hubert H. Humphrey committed to cleaning up the crime and

general unruliness in Minneapolis1. Thanks in large part to Mayor Humphreys leadership,

Minneapolis was able to bring in business, grow the city population, and become a major

American regional center. The history of Minneapolis shows us that for us to prosper and grow,

we must first be safe.

Public safety and crime reduction are essential to any economic, social or human capital

development strategy. That is the mindset that I have had as chair of the City Councils Public

Safety Committee for the last 7 years. Since I took over as chair, violent and property crimes

have dropped every year by double digits. This decrease in crime brings Minneapolis crime stats

down to levels not seen since the Kennedy Administration, and even though there are still

significant safety concerns in the city, weve made great progress. With safe neighborhoods, we

will keep our middle class and strengthen our tax base. I am proud of our results.

My record on publi c safety:

As chairman of the Public Safety committee,Ive helped to lead:

Double digit reduction in violent and property crimes every year Implementation of Results Minneapolissystem to track crime data Reform broken Civilian Review Authority to ensure cases reach a resolution Reform response to crime-breeding conditions and conduct on residential and

commercial properties.

Its that leadership and focus on results that has earned me the endorsement of Former

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan. I am proud to have earned his support, because there are

few people that know what it takes to create a safe city more than he does.

1 The Politics of Equality: Hubert Humphrey and the African American Freedom Struggle, Thurbur, Tim. 1999.Columbia University Press


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Driving down crime could not have happenedwithout the help of Don he always made a

great effort to reach out to the average police officer to let them know how important their

efforts were to the City of Minneapolis. Former Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan

However, we also know there is still much to do to make our city truly safe. Statistics provide

little comfort to the young woman who has been assaulted, the family who has been burglarized,

or the mother who has lost a child. We must take the next level in reducing crime in Minneapolis

so that folks feel safe going to Downtown Minneapolis at night and so that a woman can take a

jog in any part of our city.

I am, undoubtedly, the most qualified candidate in this race on the issue of public safety and

crime reduction. As mayor, Ill focus on a few areas in public safety: Developing a micro-

targeted approach to crime prevention, fighting against the gun lobby on gun violence issues, de-

concentrating level III sex offenders, and ensuring a strong and ethical police force.


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Crime

To understand how to make Minneapolis a safer city, its important to understand the context and

existing efforts. TheDowntown 100 plan is an innovative program with a focus on the 50 most

chronic drug, property and livability crime offenders in Downtown Minneapolis. The plan is a

collective effort of the Downtown Improvement District (DID), Downtown SafeZone,

Neighborhood representatives, social service providers, Minneapolis Police Department, City

and County Attorneys Office and Community Probation. A second initiative is the Top 200

which acknowledges that there are roughly 200 chronic offenders that commit a

disproportionally high number of livability crimes in the City of Minneapolis. As Public Safety

chair, I helped integrate this initiative into Results Minneapolis, a system wide evaluation

initiative that measures everything going on in City Government. These two efforts have helped

us better understand what individuals commit crime and where that crime is committed within

the City.

Generally speaking, our current policing focuses on understanding where crime typically is

committed, adding police presence in those particular areas, and getting the worst offenders off

our streets. I believe this methodical approach has helped Minneapolis reduce crime to 1960s

levels. But, for us to take public safety to the next level, we must do more than just know wherecrime hotspots are; we must know more than just how many crimes happen in a particular

area. That information only helps form a reactionary response. To take the next step, we must be

proactive in our policing. We do this by measuring everything, putting the science behind our

crime statistics to work, and then building into our current policing model a series of targeted

and individualized forms of intervention.

Preventative policingthat uses data and trends to stop crime by anticipating crimeBy using predictive analysis based on trends and data, we can lower the probability that

crime will take place. By allocating resources to additional police presence and visibility

at identified peak times and places, we are able to actually prevent a noticeable amount

of violent crimes. Rather than just responding to emergency calls, our police officers will

be able to use data-driven tactics to dramatically reduce violent crime from our city.


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Hold Monthly Satellite Office Hours in our Crime HotspotsThe locations in which crime happens most are viewed as desolate, unvalued and

invisible. As Mayor, I will spend the day at least once a month in the worst hotspot at

the time. I intend to shine a light on problem areas, as I have done in the past, because I

believe that its important for every corner of this city to feel valued and essential to the

fabric that is Minneapolis.

Youth Violence Prevention

Youth violence prevention is an issue that doesnt receive the attention it deserves, but is a key

issue in making Minneapolis a safe place. Minneapolis has already started to takes steps to

address this problem. The most prominent strategy is theBlueprint for Action. In 2008, the City

of Minneapolis, in partnership with Hennepin County and The Minneapolis Foundation,

launched a strategy called "The Blueprint for Action"to address young adult and juvenile

violence. Roughly 80 Minneapolis residents between the ages of 15 and 24 died as a result of

homicide from 2003-2006. Homicide was the leading cause of death for Minneapolis residents in

this age group, accounting for almost half of all deaths2.

The Blueprint outlined 34 recommendations to reach four main goals. First, every young personin Minneapolis is supported by at least one trusted adult in their family or their community.

Second, interventions at the first sign that youth and families are at risk for or involved in

violence. Third, do not give up on our kids, work to restore and get them back on track and,

finally, recognize that violence is learned and can be unlearned by reducing the impact of violent

messages in our media, culture and entertainment.

Weve made significant progress on this important issue; but we must do more. Ill convene a

mayoral advisory board, in partnership with the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board, to

develop techniques to directly engage our most disadvantaged. When we understand the needs

and desires of our at-risk young people, we will create relevant and effective solutions. This

2 Youth Violence Prevention:Blueprint for Action, Minneapolis Health Department


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effort, in coordination with improved educational opportunities and job prospects, can help our

children become healthy, safe and productive adults.

6-Families Initiative

The data surrounding crime tells us several important things. For example, in Minneapolis every

year, over 90% of people who commit homicides and around 85% of homicide victims did not

graduate from high school. We know that access to a good education and real economic

opportunity for every person, are paramount to the long-term safety of the city. This data has

also highlighted a series of chilling, but also extremely informative, statistics about offenders in

the City of Minneapolis: A significant percentage of violent crime in the city is committed by

individuals from just 6 extended families.

What this means is that our current approach to crime must add deeply personal relationships

between City Government and the individuals of the 6 families. To drive crime down beyond

current levels, we must think differently about how we are engaging the people who are most

vulnerable to falling into crime. As mayor, I will no longer wait until these children end up at a

crime scene. By then it is far too late for far too many.

Directly Engage the 6 Extended Families

We can engage these families in a unique way, by providing real opportunities, especially for the

children, as an alternative to a life of crime. By directly knowing and understanding these

individuals and their circumstances, interventions can be personalized in a way never before

seen.

One of my first initiatives as Mayor will be to personally visit each of these families with an

offer from the city: We will use the full weight of the Mayors office toprovide access to the

best early childhood and K12 opportunities in the city, along with tutoring, mentoring,

counseling, job training, and whatever else is needed to ensure that these families stop producing

criminals, and start producing scholars, workers and leaders. By getting these families to


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commit to this program, we can fundamentally change the course of public safety in the city.

And for those who defiantly and repeatedly choose the criminal life, when one does commit a

major crime, the city can testify as to the full slate of support that was continually refused.

Not only could this lead to a quantum shift in public safety in our city, its also better on the

bottom line. While these services will come at a cost, it is dramatically less than that of sending

someone to prison, estimated to cost an average of $41,364 per year3. Through this process, we

can dramatically reduce violent crime in the city, save taxpayers money in the long run, and

make sure that those who belligerently choose a life of crime are put away where they cant

continue to poison the community.

This kind of direct community engagement is what led me to get involved in my neighborhood. I

have stood toe to toe with drug dealers. I know what it means to directly engage people in a way

that provides alternatives to a path of danger and destruction.

3The Price of Prisons, Jan 2012. Vera Institute of Justices Center on Sentencing and Corrections


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Gun Safety

While our nation was greatly saddened by the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary last

year, we know there has been a slow massacre in our urban centers and suburbs for decades. We

dont need to look far to see the tragic stories in our backyard. Whether it is the killing of a

young child in North Minneapolis or the shooting at Accent Signage in the Bryn Mawr

Neighborhood, gun violence is killing people of all backgrounds. Yet, many of our national

leaders havent had the courage to make changes to keep our people safe.

The tragedy of gun violence isnt limited to the range of a bullet, either. On top of the steady

slaughter of the innocent and guilty alike, the life thrown away by the person committing the act,

and all the unrealized potential of the victims, the waves created by gun crime can be equally

devastating. Families, friends, and communities are deeply and permanently scarred by every act

of violence in ways can never truly be overcome.

The second amendment has been interpreted by a few ideological purists to mean we cant

pursue any common sense gun safety measures, and the National Rifle Association (NRA) has

manufactured fear that the government is going to take every gun away from people. This fear

has paralyzed state legislatures, including our own, to pass laws banning cities from putting inplace smart ordinances around gun safety. In addition, Congress has been intimidated to the point

where a gun safety bill, which called for comprehensive and enforceable background checks, and

had support of 91%4 of the American people, could not pass Congress. This is unacceptable.

The people are asking for it. The law enforcement community is demanding it. The NRA is just

hoping that if enough time passes by, people will forget about this issue and move on. I refuse to

forget. I refuse to move on. I will keep pushing until we get commonsense gun safety laws

passed in this nation.

For us to make transformational change in public safety, we need to grow a political movement

that extends beyond the Democratic Party. We must build a political movement that engages

people in their humanity. As a partner of the national organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns

4 Quinnipiac Poll, April 4, 2013.


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(MAIG), Ive worked with mayors from across the country to advocate for commonsense gun

safety legislation at the state and federal level. As Mayor, Ill be a leader within MAIG to keep

our movement building. As an ordained Minister, I deeply understand the faith community. I will

lead an effort to engage the faith community around our shared values on human life and dignity

on this earth. We must build a unifying coalition to make change.

But, in the meantime, we are not just going to sit idly by and let the NRA play offense. We will

be on offense as well. While our hands are tied by state or federal law on most gun related laws,

there are a few things we can do. As Mayor, I will:

Sign a municipal Irresponsible Gun Show BAN into lawAs long as Congress and our state legislature continue to do nothing about the loophole

allowing up to 40% of gun purchasers to avoid a background check, we will restrict

permits for gun shows seeking the use of city owned facilities (such as the Minneapolis

Convention Center) to those who agree to perform background checks on site.

Sign a municipal ordinance mandating the reporting of lost orstolen guns

Far too often, when gun violence takes place, the guns trace back to someone who agreed

to buy a gun for someone else who, often times, cant own or possess guns. Because of

the gridlock of state and federal government these people, known as straw purchasers, get

off scot free by claiming ignorance as to where their gun is. Theres very little law

enforcement can do to hold these straw purchasers accountable.

By requiring the reporting of lost or stolen guns, we ensure that gun owners are

responsible for their weaponry at all times. This ordinance would allow law enforcement

to begin searching for missing guns before they are used to commit a crime, and makes it

easier for federal and local authorities to identify straw purchasers. Most importantly,

states that require reporting of lost or stolen guns have shown up to a 2/3 reduction in


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crime guns being traced back to those states. Because Minnesota is a source state

(guns used here originate here), this means an almost certain drop in the number of

incidents of gun violence.

Enhance efforts to share data between Minneapolis policedepartment, state and federal authorities

As Mayor, I will make it a priority for the Minneapolis police department to fully share

information about gun crimes, including ballistic tests and mental health status for

individual gun owners, with partner law enforcement and medical entities. Right now,

crime information is not fully shared between Minneapolis and several suburban law

enforcement agencies. That needs to change. Law enforcement needs access to critical

information that can help save lives.

While there are several important and common-sense solutions that will require state or federal

action, it is critical that we do everything in our power at the local level to stop the flood of

senseless gun crimes in our neighborhoods. What I will not do is sit on my hands and wait for

Congress to act.


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Level III Sex Offenders

The concentration of Level III sex offenders within Minneapolis has reached a point that is both

staggering and completely unacceptable. While Minneapolis only represents 7% of the states

population, the City has roughly 44% of the states most heinous sexual predators. And 35% of

the offenders registered in Hennepin County actually committed their crime somewhere else. By

all accounts, the Minnesota Department of Corrections seems to be using our city as a dumping

ground, by repeatedly forcing the county, and as a result the city, to accept these transplanted sex

offenders. What makes this situation particularly unacceptable is the fact that current law (Minn.

Stat. 244.052, subd. 4a) explicitly says concentration of level III sex offenders is illegal and

should be avoided.

As a result of this Department of Corrections strategy, Minneapolis children are placed in greater

danger by having more sex offenders in their neighborhoods than other kids around the state.

This is unjust and we can no longer accept it. I have already asked for, and the Civil Rights

Department has already initiated, a study, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, to

collect objective data on this over-concentration. Once this study is completed, I will set a 9

month timeline for the Minnesota Department of Corrections to come up with a plan to de-

concentrate sex offenders equitably. If progress is not being made, I will lead a lawsuit againstthe Minnesota Department of Corrections to have the courts enforce existing law to protect the

children and people of our City.


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A Strong and Ethical Police Force

Cops on the Beat

Even with a renewed focus on smart policing and data targeting, the reality is our police force is

understaffed for a city of our size and our resources are overstreched. I applaud Mayor Rybaks

effort to find money in next years budget for 50 additional law enforcement officers. As the

economy continues to improve, we should be making efforts to right-size our police force to

whatever extent the budget allows.

Neighborhood Policing

I am glad to see that Police Chief Harteau has been instructing officers to spend more time, on

foot, out in the communities they police, getting to know the people. The more people know and

trust the officers that patrol their neighborhoods, the more likely they will be to trust the police

when they are needed. I also believe police-community relations could be dramatically increased

by hiring more officers from the neighborhoods they are intended to patrol. To do this, I would

propose expanding the STEP-UP and Urban Scholars programs to create a pipeline of students

from the communities most in need into the CSO program within the department, where they

will be trained as officers.

Increasing Diversity

Despite being a city that roughly 4 in 10 people are minorities, our police force is still only about

20% minority. While this is better than its ever been, and important steps are being taken to

improve further, we must commit to having a police force the accurately reflects the city they

serve. In addition to the natural diversification that is occurring through the CSO program, we

have a unique opportunity with the impending Silver Tsunami to replace retiring officers withpolice classes that better represent the new face of Minneapolis.

Maintaining Integrity

By now, the recent events in Green Bay, WI and Apple Valley involving off-duty Minneapolis

Police Officers are common knowledge. Their conduct is shameful and is an embarrassment to


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the vast majority of Minneapolis police officers who do a great job keeping our residents safe

each and every day.

Whenever an officer acts in such an unacceptable manner, it undermines the necessary trust

between the police and those they are sworn to serve. Thats why I immediately called for the

resignation of the two officers involved in the Green Bay incident.I was the only Council

Member and the only candidate for Mayor to call for their resignations, and I believe that is what

is needed in leadership. When the evidence is clear: leaders must lead.

As a candidate for Mayor, I can promise that I will call out any problem officers who are unfit to

serve. I can guarantee a strong, unequivocal response that makes clear the values and

expectations of city workers, especially those with as much authority as police officers.


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The Role of Regulatory Services

Often, conversations around public safety focus on policing, fire dispatch and other crisis

management services. Yet, there is another crucial city department that ensures safety for the

residents of our City. Regulatory Services focuses on making sure people are safe in the

businesses and activities they engage in inside the City limits. An example is the Housing

Inspections division, within Regulatory Services department. Housing inspections ensures the

safety of foreclosed or unoccupied properties. Another is the Problem Properties Unit, which

focuses on finding properties that constantly have responses from police, fire or other

government agencies. This is commonly the unit dealing with nuisance calls. The role of

Regulatory Services is a key pillar of ensuring a safe community for our residents. Since taking

over as Public Safety Chair, Ive led the effort to crack down on problem properties and

businesses.

Prior to my time, there were 2,400 complaint calls to law enforcement for the 8 worst

convenience stores with business licenses. The year after I cracked down on certain convenience

stores by revoking their business licenses, only 40 complaint calls to law enforcement were from

those 8 locations. At a cost of $225.00 per police 911 response, we saved significant taxpayer

dollars and police were freed up to address other issues.

Thats just one example of how important regulatory services can be in helping to create a safe

city. In addition, as Mayor, I will:

Work with property owners of blighted properties to develop a plan to get their propertyto optimal condition more quickly.

Make remedial training for incompetent or errant landlords more available andobligatory.

Empower the fire inspection division to engage with property owners to ensure propertiesare best able to retard fires and limit their impact. Constituent education is key, and I

hope to have them as engaged in the pulse of the community as possible.


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The reputation of Minneapolis in the early 20th century was a hindrance to growth, expansion of

opportunity and ensuring a city that works for all. With the help of Hubert Humphrey, we were

able to change that reputation. But, it took a lot of hard work and a long time. To help grow our

population and attract businesses to our city again, we must take that next step. We must become

a truly safe city. I believe I am the Mayor with the savvy and the courage to lead that effort.

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Samuels- Public Safety Policy