Hi Folks, Well, I have a very different perspective, and I would like to
share it.
My personal experience, over the last 16 years of living in this
neighborhood and with interaction as a resident with the Minneapolis Police
has been positive. Frankly, I call the MPD whenever I think something is
happening that warrants their attention. Having spoken with the MPD
representatives I know how their system works, and I use it as they suggest:
more calls = more patrols in the neighborhood. So, if I see a domestic
situation on the street, I call. If I am worried that something is wrong at
the foreclosed house across the street, I call. If I think illegal/illicit
activity is happening that warrants police attention, I call.
I am going to share with you a few of those interactions, some serious, most
not. First, for example, almost 16 years ago, during the first spring I
owned my house, I came home to find a piano window (low enough to just walk
through) I never use open, and blowing in the wind. I called and the
police, who came to my house and inspected it from top to bottom. While it
turned out to be nothing, they treated me with respect, offered some home
safety tips and were very professional. Three years ago, I had another
silly, but terrifying, false alarm. A large glass lighting fixture came
loose in the middle of the night and crashed to pieces on the floor in the
kitchen. From the bedroom, it sounded as if intruders were coming through
the window, or were already in the kitchen. The 911 operator (god bless
her!) stayed with me on the phone, while my husband went to inspect. The
police arrived in minutes to make sure we were okay. We all had a good sigh
of relief when it turned out to be nothing.
We have also had very real problems in the neighborhood, and the police have
responded appropriately. One example is this: last year, narcotics dealers
moved in just down the block. While we all wondered (we are a curious group
of neighbors) what the activity was about, there was nothing really to
report (as they were pretty discreet drug dealers, actually!) However,
without our calling, one day the SWAT team arrived, and the entire operation
was shut down. It was quite exciting for the entire block, or so I heard
from the neighbors who were home at the time! Afterwards, we contacted
Karen Notsch, our mpls police liaison, she gave us information on exactly
what had happened, gave our block club tips by email, and she offered to
come out to meet with us in our homes to help us strategize about what we
could do in the future to prevent such problems.
All this is to say, that over the many years we have lived here, I have felt
confident and safe calling the police whenever we had a concern that I
thought merited their attention. They have always been fast, efficient, and
responsive. Some of our calls have really warranted their attention, and
frankly, a few have not. But yet, they always gave us the same professional
courtesy. Last year, during all the mysterious "booming" (see previous
posts and the Star Tribune article) I called 911 at 1:00 AM thinking a
shot-gun had been discharged nearby. It was so loud, I almost fell out of
bed grabbing for the phone to call 911! I wasn't expecting them to respond
to my call, I just wanted to report what I had heard. Yet, within 15
minutes, the police officer on duty in the neighborhood called me back.
Really! I called Mpls 911, was almost back to sleep, and the guy on duty who
was parked on the other side of the golf course called our house to say he
had also heard the "explosion," but not to worry, because the frequency of
the sound had not set off the "gun/firearm" detectors, and while it was
REALLY loud even from his position a mile away, I should feel safe going
back to sleep.
All of this experience I might have expected in the tiny town where I
grew-up. But in Minneapolis? To quote the former poster: "No, Seriously."
It's true. So, while we can all be jaded by the negative stories in the
newspaper, what I know is that when I call, they come. And, as an added
bonus, our local Lt. "Wes" shows up at our annual block parties, has a hot
dog, plays with the kids, poses for pictures and seems like a good guy that
makes me feel safer knowing he is out there.
Sleep well, Lea Johnson.
Rest of post
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Warner [mailto:<email obscured>]
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 9:19 PM
To: <email obscured>; <email obscured>; <email obscured>;
<email obscured>
Cc: mpls-staneric@forums.e-democracy.org
Subject: Re: [Mpls-StanEric] Mugging along pedestrian walkway linking 38th
St. Station and 37th Street
Regard for any police department is inversely proportional to contact with
it. This goes not just for perps, but honest citizens. Police regard the
general public as weak and whiney, a nuisance. We represent an affront to
their virility; an intrusion on their clubby clique of alegality; and a
threat to the facade of danger and mystery projected by 80,000 cop shows.
Of course police are invincible! Nobody knocks over a precinct station.
The uniform is nearly proof from assault -- which brings me to my brilliant
suggestion for a citizen patrol of the LRT stations: Let us borrow some
uniforms. Call us a charter precinct. Fund it out of the bloated police
budget. I've also worked up a stirring motto: "To Protect and To Serve.
No, Seriously." -- M.Warner
> Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 12:50:55 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Mpls-StanEric] Mugging along pedestrian walkway linking
> 38th St. Station and 37th Street
> From: <email obscured>
> To: <email obscured>; <email obscured>;
> <email obscured>
> CC: mpls-staneric@forums.e-democracy.org
>
> There is an MTC Police squad at the 38th St LRT station daily -- it
> doesn't look scary nor reassuring if there's never anyone in or near it
though!
> It's easy to tell if there are cops surveilling the area: they sit in
> their squad or are in the hut to use the bathroom. If neither, then
> they're off checking tickets on board elsewhere along the line.
>
> Why don't MTC and MPD have overlapping jurisdiction for the 3-4 square
> blocks around these LRT stations? It's not like the platform is a
> sovreign nation, geez
>
> Thanks,
> Kelly
> On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 12:35 PM, bill miller <<email obscured>>
wrote:
>
>> For awhile they parked a squad car there 24-7 that was a very
>> effective visual deterrence. Bill Miller
>>
>> On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 7:38 AM, KTIG <<email obscured>> wrote:
>>
>>> Erik,
>>> I am very sorry for what happened to your wife. Please pass along a
>>> note to Jenny for me -- I'm up on 36th St and 28th Ave. If you'd
>>> like a walking companion to or from LRT and we're on a similar
>>> schedule, I'd be happy to walk with you if it would help? Feel free
>>> to email me privately and we could meet sometime. :)
>>>
>>> Anne, This sort of issue disturbs me greatly. I've seen a number of
>>> rowdy teens whileon and exiting the LRT in our area recently- vulgar
>>> language, shoving people to get out of the train, being rude to passers
by, etc.
>>> Although I am a newbie to the neighborhood, I'd really like to think
>>> this behavior is not acceptable here. If you coordinate a meeting
>>> with the city and transit folks (esp transit!), I will attend. It
>>> seems like there's a communication grey zone around the LRT
>>> stations. I'm interested in hearing what both the MPD and MTC's
>>> plans are (if any?) and their desired avenue for receiving reports
>>> and concerns.
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>> Kelly Neisen
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 10:08 PM, <<email obscured>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I also offer my condolences. I live 2 blocks from there.would
>>>> anyone
>>> like
>>>> to arrange a neighborhood crime prevention meeting? I'd be happy to
>>>> coordinate. Perhaps we could meet at the Cardinal or at Tillie's Bean.
>>> We
>>>> could invite reps from the M.P.D. And transit police to attend as
>>>> well
>>> as
>>>> the SENA people.
>>>> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Carol Logie <<email obscured>>
>>>>
>>>> Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 18:14:31
>>>> To: <<email obscured>>
>>>> Cc: Erik Mitchell<<email obscured>>; Minneapolis Standish
>>> Ericsson
>>>> Neighbors Forum<mpls-staneric@forums.e-democracy.org>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Mpls-StanEric] Mugging along pedestrian walkway
>>>> linking
>>> 38th
>>>> St. Station and 37th Street
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hi Erik:
>>>>
>>>> I'm so sorry to hear that this happened! That's pretty disturbing.
>>>>
>>>> A few weeks back, my husband, John, witnessed a purse snatching on
>>>> the train in the same area... purse was snatched as victim boarded
>>>> at 38th, the thieves hopped off as the doors closed. John called
>>>> the police, was transferred to Transit Security, and then back to
>>>> the police again. No one seemed to want to deal with it.
>>>>
>>>> There seems to be some grey area of enforcement regarding who
>>>> responds at the LRT property that criminals can take advantage of.
>>>> And I'm sure as word gets out about that, more are emboldened and
>>>> will go further.
>>>>
>>>> I, too would like some reassurance about this neighborhood,
>>>> particularly because we moved here to put a little distance between
>>>> us and endemic crime/slumlords in Corcoran Nbhd. Please let us all
>>>> know what you find out from police/metro transit. I think maybe
>>>> it's time to start pressuring for more police presence and support
>>>> in our area.
>>>>
>>>> Best to you and your wife.. I hope she is recovering from her injury.
>>>>
>>>> Carol Logie
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Jun 3, 2009, at 12:07 PM, <email obscured> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. I live in the area and
>>>>> have had nothing like that occur to me however, I do not ride the
>>>>> light rail. Please give my regards to your wife.
>>>>>
>>>>> your neighbor, Nancy
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Jun 2 2009, Erik Mitchell wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> All,
>>>>>> I regret to report that my wife, Jenny, was mugged today on her
>>>>>> way home from work. She was walking from the 38th Street LRT
>>>>>> station, along the pedestrian walkway linking the station to the
>>>>>> intersection of 37th Street and 29th Avenue.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A group of approximately 5 females, high school age, approached
>>>>>> Jenny from behind, struck her in the face, and stole her purse
>>>>>> and the grocery bag she was carrying.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We're thankful that Jenny was not seriously hurt and that no
>>>>>> items of significant value were stolen. Obviously, however, this
>>>>>> is a disturbing event.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am determined to make some good come of it. We will be
>>>>>> following up with the police department (Jenny did report the
>>>>>> crime immediately) and I am hoping to have opportunities to bring
>>>>>> the issue of safety around the 38th Street Station to the
>>>>>> attention of our elected officials and leadership within the
>>>>>> Minneapolis Police Department and the Metro Transit Police
Department.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It is also a reminder that National Night Out is approaching, and
>>>>>> I intend to organize a block club centered around 37th Street and
>>>>>> 28th Avenue to observe the event.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I will also be contacting the company that owns the partially
>>>>>> developed land at 37th Street and 29th Avenue. I believe their
>>>>>> original plans were to begin construction on an apartment
>>>>>> building but it seems evident that those plans have stalled. I
>>>>>> will report to the list what I can find out.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We're trying to reassure ourselves that this is a safe
>>>>>> neighborhood, and that this was out of the ordinary, but
>>>>>> obviously we're a little rattled.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Anyway, Jenny and I assumed this incident would be of interest to
>>>>>> everyone. Stay safe out there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -Erik
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Nancy Olesen
>>>>>
>>>>> Info about Nancy Olesen: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/olese004
>>>>>
>>>>> View all messages on this topic at:
>>>>> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/
>>>>> topic/6Jm5jfIVbf87hKWAfCbdB4
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>>>>
>>>> Carol Logie
>>>> Standish Ericsson, South Minnepaolis Info about Carol Logie:
>>>> http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/4M7K8dtLOVjMeUvB899KUP
>>>>
>>>> View all messages on this topic at:
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>>>> Anne Weaver
>>>> Standard-Ericsson, Minneapolis
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>>>
>>> Kelly Neisen
>>> Newbie Standish Resident
>>> Info about Kelly Neisen:
>>> http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/6b1D1miluKidmbgZmtF4mw
>>>
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>>
>
> Kelly Neisen
> Newbie Standish Resident
> Info about Kelly Neisen:
> http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/6b1D1miluKidmbgZmtF4mw
>
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