A tall thin Black man with a limp, using a large black Cadillac with Minnesota
Licence # 004 GXM, appears to have been actively dealing drugs from the trunk
for the last week or two on the block bordered by Elliot and 10th Avenues and
21st Street and Franklin .
He takes his stuff from the trunk and appears to distribute to smaller time
street vendors. This morning was no different except the fact that he gave
some product to another Black man from his trunk and put it in the trunk of a
large gray Cadillac; as well as shooing a Black prostitute or two away while
the transaction was taking place. I called 911 and reported it at 7:12 AM.
Describing exactly what was going on. Since the Minneapolis police have
orders to NOT bother the druggies, small time street corner dealers, and
prostitutes I do not even bother calling 911 on them anymore - most of the
time.
The Black Cadillac does not have a light on the License Plate so I have not
been able to get the plate number until this morning. It had just enough light
so I took my binoc's and went out to my corner porch and finally got the number
of the Black Cadillac, the gray one was obscured by another car. By the way
such action is not without peril. There has been nightly and morning gunfire
from drug dealers shooting at each other almost on a daily basis. But the
dealers were so secure in the fact that they would not be bothered by the
Minneapolis police that they seemed to not pay any real attention while I was
openly getting the License number. Perhaps the light was bad.
Calling again to report the Gray Cadillac at 7:15 and further update 911 at
7:22. I am afraid I might have vented on the 911 operator at that time due to
frustration at seemingly being ignored by the police. I suggested that she
just call the Holiday store on Franklin if she could not find a patrol car when
she said (as usual) that they would have a car come by when one was free. I
should apologize for that, since it is clearly the Mayor and City Council that
is responsible for the piss poor police services we receive in my neighborhood
and not tha poor dispatchers who receive the ire of frustrated citizens.
The two drug dealers with their Cadillac cars left the area at about 7:30. As
usual the first police car came driving by at exactly 7:36. We are not
talking about a small time corner druggie. Nor a saddly addicted prostitute
being used for sex slavery by a pimp. The call was clearly abut a big hitter.
Still it took 24 minutes for a police response at 7:00 o'clock in the morning.
So yes, we do have a very real problem with policing in Minneapolis. Or I
should say, we have a real problem with Minneapolis politicians systematically
discriminating against poor neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
I viewed with some perverse, cynical humor when the Chief talked about
reducing violent crime in Minneapolis. I believe I have explained several
times how to reduce the shootings that are almost a daily happening. So much
so that they are not even newsworthy because they are in a poor neighborhood
and not downtown.
Things to do:
1. Enforce the "Loitering with Intent" law. It is just business that creates
the cause for violence and shooting between drug dealers and drug gangs
2. and have a special unit to respond to certain higher priority call from
troubled Precincts such as the Third and the Fourth at the hours when Drug
dealers, especially the "Distributors" are most active. Which is the hour or
so before shift change and the hour after shift change.
3. and create that "Anonymous Tip" line with a $500 dollar reward for a tip on
an "Illegal Gun" if it results in an arresst and the recovery of that "Illegal
Gun"
Oh, and one more thing, STOP creating Drug Free sanctuaries and "Containment
Zones" in poor neighborhoods. Give us the same respect and consideration you
do Downtown and the wealthy "good" neighborhoods.
It does not take a lot more resources to attack the problem it just takes some
common sense using already proven methods, actually enforcing laws, and
deciding that poor people have a right to "Equal Protection Under the Law". If
the politicians and Police Chief cannot figure out how to do that then please
ask -I would be pleased to help explain it to them.
The answer IS "Community Policing". But you cannot have that when the people
in the community KNOW that their calls will almost never be answered. That
calling 911 is a crazy idea. The definition of crazy is keeping on doing the
same thing and expecting a different result. When you call 911 and it takes an
hour or more for a patrol car to come driving by, it might seem crazy to even
bother, so people don't do it. When you call 911 on a major hitter and give a
license number and no one comes for over 20 minutes it usually takes the
"Community" out of the equation because the "Community" realizes that calling
is a futile effort.
And it could be an effort that might even cause danger to ones self. If
criminals are willing to shoot at each other for "business" I suppose they
might also shoot at you for bothering that business. Certainly I have been
threatened more than a couple of times with that very thing...
Perhaps Governor Dayton should be called on to help poor discriminated
communities out. Since Minneapolis politicians seem to refuse to protect us,
and claim they do not have the resources to give us "Equal Protection Under the
Law", perhaps the Governor can use his own powers to aid us.... After all,
there are "State Laws" being violated and not being enforced... :-)
But it IS a wonderful Morning in the Neighbor'HOOD. Heck since they cleaned
the streets last week we have the leaves starting to turn gold and fall.
Beautiful fall colors, and streets full of leaves blowing around...it really
can be a wonderful City... get out and enjoy it this morning
Jim Graham
Licence # 004 GXM, appears to have been actively dealing drugs from the trunk
for the last week or two on the block bordered by Elliot and 10th Avenues and
21st Street and Franklin .
He takes his stuff from the trunk and appears to distribute to smaller time
street vendors. This morning was no different except the fact that he gave
some product to another Black man from his trunk and put it in the trunk of a
large gray Cadillac; as well as shooing a Black prostitute or two away while
the transaction was taking place. I called 911 and reported it at 7:12 AM.
Describing exactly what was going on. Since the Minneapolis police have
orders to NOT bother the druggies, small time street corner dealers, and
prostitutes I do not even bother calling 911 on them anymore - most of the
time.
The Black Cadillac does not have a light on the License Plate so I have not
been able to get the plate number until this morning. It had just enough light
so I took my binoc's and went out to my corner porch and finally got the number
of the Black Cadillac, the gray one was obscured by another car. By the way
such action is not without peril. There has been nightly and morning gunfire
from drug dealers shooting at each other almost on a daily basis. But the
dealers were so secure in the fact that they would not be bothered by the
Minneapolis police that they seemed to not pay any real attention while I was
openly getting the License number. Perhaps the light was bad.
Calling again to report the Gray Cadillac at 7:15 and further update 911 at
7:22. I am afraid I might have vented on the 911 operator at that time due to
frustration at seemingly being ignored by the police. I suggested that she
just call the Holiday store on Franklin if she could not find a patrol car when
she said (as usual) that they would have a car come by when one was free. I
should apologize for that, since it is clearly the Mayor and City Council that
is responsible for the piss poor police services we receive in my neighborhood
and not tha poor dispatchers who receive the ire of frustrated citizens.
The two drug dealers with their Cadillac cars left the area at about 7:30. As
usual the first police car came driving by at exactly 7:36. We are not
talking about a small time corner druggie. Nor a saddly addicted prostitute
being used for sex slavery by a pimp. The call was clearly abut a big hitter.
Still it took 24 minutes for a police response at 7:00 o'clock in the morning.
So yes, we do have a very real problem with policing in Minneapolis. Or I
should say, we have a real problem with Minneapolis politicians systematically
discriminating against poor neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
I viewed with some perverse, cynical humor when the Chief talked about
reducing violent crime in Minneapolis. I believe I have explained several
times how to reduce the shootings that are almost a daily happening. So much
so that they are not even newsworthy because they are in a poor neighborhood
and not downtown.
Things to do:
1. Enforce the "Loitering with Intent" law. It is just business that creates
the cause for violence and shooting between drug dealers and drug gangs
2. and have a special unit to respond to certain higher priority call from
troubled Precincts such as the Third and the Fourth at the hours when Drug
dealers, especially the "Distributors" are most active. Which is the hour or
so before shift change and the hour after shift change.
3. and create that "Anonymous Tip" line with a $500 dollar reward for a tip on
an "Illegal Gun" if it results in an arresst and the recovery of that "Illegal
Gun"
Oh, and one more thing, STOP creating Drug Free sanctuaries and "Containment
Zones" in poor neighborhoods. Give us the same respect and consideration you
do Downtown and the wealthy "good" neighborhoods.
It does not take a lot more resources to attack the problem it just takes some
common sense using already proven methods, actually enforcing laws, and
deciding that poor people have a right to "Equal Protection Under the Law". If
the politicians and Police Chief cannot figure out how to do that then please
ask -I would be pleased to help explain it to them.
The answer IS "Community Policing". But you cannot have that when the people
in the community KNOW that their calls will almost never be answered. That
calling 911 is a crazy idea. The definition of crazy is keeping on doing the
same thing and expecting a different result. When you call 911 and it takes an
hour or more for a patrol car to come driving by, it might seem crazy to even
bother, so people don't do it. When you call 911 on a major hitter and give a
license number and no one comes for over 20 minutes it usually takes the
"Community" out of the equation because the "Community" realizes that calling
is a futile effort.
And it could be an effort that might even cause danger to ones self. If
criminals are willing to shoot at each other for "business" I suppose they
might also shoot at you for bothering that business. Certainly I have been
threatened more than a couple of times with that very thing...
Perhaps Governor Dayton should be called on to help poor discriminated
communities out. Since Minneapolis politicians seem to refuse to protect us,
and claim they do not have the resources to give us "Equal Protection Under the
Law", perhaps the Governor can use his own powers to aid us.... After all,
there are "State Laws" being violated and not being enforced... :-)
But it IS a wonderful Morning in the Neighbor'HOOD. Heck since they cleaned
the streets last week we have the leaves starting to turn gold and fall.
Beautiful fall colors, and streets full of leaves blowing around...it really
can be a wonderful City... get out and enjoy it this morning
Jim Graham
