STATE OF THE PRECINCT
From the MPD Crime Dashboard, 2nd Precinct 28 day report.
Crime metric 2024 2023 3-yr. average
Assault 63 59 65
Incl. Domestic 10 8 9
Burglary B&E 26 27 28
Damage to prop. 77 64 55
Homicide, non-neg 1 0 –
Homicide, negligent 0 0 –
Larceny theft 156 132 182
M.V. Theft 76 91 78
Robbery 16 44 12
Incl.car-jack’ 2 1 4
Sex offenses 15 2 7
Stolen property off. 2 1 1
Weapon Law Viol. 4 0 1
Shots fired calls 20 12 12
Gunshot wound vics. 1 0 1
QQ Does damage to property include graffiti?
Inspector Torborg: Graffiti has exploded in the 2nd Precinct, especially down the Central corridor. It’s frustrating because people tend to regard that as a minor crime, but they’re doing a lot of expensive damage to the Northeast. It’s investigated by the Property Crimes Unit, which today includes one Lieutenant and one Investigator. That’s it.
They’ve identified some suspects and are working with the County Attorney’s office because these are juveniles. That makes it harder to determine what is the appropriate punishment. In one case along the RR tracks by the 5th Street bridge, a juvenile from Prior Lake was spraying graffiti and urinating in public. There was a witness who captured pictures of the suspect. It doesn’t rise to the level of crime that we book him in Juvenile Detention, but we do have to send a message that this IS a serious crime.
Unfortunately, with all the other things that are going on in Minneapolis, graffiti is pretty far down on the list of what we can respond to. That lets people think it isn’t a serious crime and they can get away with it. We’re back to a matter of resources available to get the work done. [EQ: “Resources” means officers in squad cars, I think]
COMMENT: Como has an ongoing program that wraps utility boxes. These are getting tagged regularly. The MFD provides the removal chemicals which work pretty well. He always takes a picture of the graffiti and sends it to 311 — apparently some office is keeping those pictures as evidence.
Inspector Torborg: It really helps if you can get pictures of the people painting the graffiti.
Inspector Torborg: We caught a few juveniles painting the Lumber Co. on Central and transported them home. Hopefully they’ll be getting some form of a ticket like damage to property and disorderly conduct.
Quast: I’ve had a complaint that people want COURTWATCH back, and told them I’d ask if there is a timeline for bringing it back.
Atty Okoronkow: Our office does not do lists of Targeted Prosecution any more. The Dept. of Human Rights took this as an issue that they wanted stopped. The First Precinct had a robust list and does not have a list at all any more.
COMMENT: Met an officer at the car wash and asked how things were going at the 2nd Precinct. It turned out this was that officer’s last day and he was moving to the Highway Patrol. He commented his MPD equipment didn’t work very well; Ford no longer makes the vehicle he was using.
Inspector Torborg: We have about 60 Ford Explorer Police Packages. That is add-on equipment, specific for Ford Explorers, but Ford is not delivering the vehicles or offering a timeframe when they can make that delivery. It takes a long time to get them ready for the street. Radios and other equipment have to be installed and the back has to be modified. In the meantime, Dodge Durangoes will be taking their place.
COMMENT: He also mentioned that recruiting is a challenge.
Inspector Torborg: As of today, we have 505 officers. 144 of them are eligible for retirement. We’ve been without a contract for over a year, and the officers’ pay is lagging behind what they can get elsewhere.
Attenders chatted about contacting our CCMs, Payne, Wonsley and Rainville.
YOUTUBE Video: https://youtu.be/2wCFuOi-AD0
Emilie Quast, member
MPD Second Precinct Advisory Council (2-PAC)
1911 Central Ave NE
Minneapolis MN 55418
2nd Precinct Advisory Council 