MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — There is widespread agreement that state politicians must address the rising tide of violent crime plaguing Minnesota and the rest of the country. When the 2022 Session begins on January 31, Republicans and Democrats will bring different sets of ideas to the State Capitol.
The House DFL Caucus released a public safety plan on Monday that includes $100 million in grants to towns and NGOs.
“No matter what we look like or where we live, all Minnesotans deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman told reporters Monday.
“We’re funding law enforcement to combat the current spike in crime, and we’re grateful to those law enforcement officers who keep Minnesotans safe while upholding their constitutional and human rights.”
The package includes a $40 million grant for community safety, which would go to nonprofits that work to keep the peace and boost public trust in law enforcement. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler cited “A Mother’s Love” as an example of a nonprofit that should receive support from the legislature.
“If there’s a shooting in the community, A Mother’s Love will show up at the same time as the police officers,” Rep. Winkler explained.
“They assist in keeping the situation calm, ensuring that communication between the police and the community is maintained, and they assist in keeping the situation safe.”
$22 million in community policing grants are included in the public safety package, which will help departments hire more beat officers who will become better acquainted with the neighborhoods they patrol. A further $22 million would be set aside for crime investigation grants, which would help cities hire more investigators and buy more forensics equipment.
The proposal also includes $10 million to combat the opioid epidemic, which has fueled the crime wave and put a strain on local police and fire departments’ resources. The House DFL package also includes $450,000 to help the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board hire more compliance investigators, as well as funding for body-worn camera grants.
“We know now that neighborhood crime prevention initiatives, community collaborations, and intelligence elements work,” Rep. Cedrick Frazier, a New Hope Democrat and the bill’s principal author, told reporters.
“So, what we’re trying to do is lean into the things that we know have worked in the past to reduce crime rates.”
Between sessions, at least four DFL House members, including Rep. Kelly Moller of Shoreview, work as prosecutors. Rep. Moller believes that investing in community organizations pays off in the long run by increasing public trust in law enforcement.
“Without trust in the system, victims are less likely to report crimes, witnesses are less likely to come forward or testify, and jurors are more likely to dismiss investigators and other experts.”
Republican Senator Paul Gazelka, on the other hand, stated earlier this month that his public safety plan would focus on longer jail penalties for carjackers and repeat criminals who conduct gun crimes.
Before casting judgment on the GOP plans, House Democrats said they want to see the exact language in them.
Democrats, on the other hand, argue that simply incarcerating more people for longer periods of time will not alleviate the core causes of crime. They also point out that violent crime is on the rise in Conservative-controlled southern states, all of which already send more people to prison per capita than Minnesota.
“Crime is on the rise in both punitive and reform states like Mississippi and Oregon. As a result, we know that blaming politicians, demonizing certain parts of our state, and defunding prosecutors, as some of my Republican colleagues have proposed, will not solve the problem.”
Republicans have chastised prosecutors in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, accusing them of creating a revolving door for violent criminals who aren’t held long enough to keep them out of the criminal justice system. Mike Freeman, the Hennepin County Attorney, and John Choi, the Ramsey County Attorney, have both rejected those claims.
Rep. Carlos Mariani, a Democrat from St. Paul, is the chairman of the House Public Safety Committee.
Rep. Mariani told reporters, “In the current budget environment, Minnesota is blessed to have the resources to increase safety.”
“I urge all legislators, including our Republican colleagues, to offer proven solutions rather than just talk.”
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