Effects of the COVID pandemic and the sharp rise in several types of crimes have shattered any presumption of return to normalcy. A recent report from Inspector Todd Loining on the “State of the 2nd Precinct” illuminated some of the trends in criminal activity in Northeast Minneapolis this last year.
On Jan. 4, the 2nd Precinct Advisory Council (2PAC) published a summary of the December report by board member Emilie Quast, highlighting the past years’ successes and challenges; the Northeaster followed up with some questions of Loining. Quast also reported on the activities of the city attorney, the public defenders office, and probation office staff.
Loining began with the precinct’s major crime statistics: three homicides (average is two to four per year). Sexual assaults were down for the second straight year. Robberies, including car-jackings, were up, going from 98 in 2019, 163 in 2020, to 241 this year – an increase of more than 145% since 2019. Aggravated assaults (those with a weapon or substantial bodily harm) were up nearly 35%, and the number of people shot went from 2019’s six to this year’s 37.
Loining noted that the precinct has lost 30% of its staff, but said he didn’t feel this alone led to the spike in crimes. He suggested that certain criminal groups have grown bolder, and that the consequences of crime have been “watered down,” with people apprehended, jailed, and released who go back to committing more crimes. Felonies charged last month in the Second Precinct include two assaults, one burglary, two drug charges, one kidnapping, one property damage, three robberies and one theft. The city attorney’s office says it has been told to not charge some of these offenses, because a charge may be a very high barrier to a person’s being able regain stability and can contribute to a person’s homelessness.
Loining said the number of officers on patrol has remained steady, although with overtime shifts and assistance from other precincts. He said a “quorum” of officers is there to take all calls for service, although Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center (MECC) receives and prioritizes all 911 calls. Sometimes the phones at the precinct take a while to be picked up, often because a desk officer has been put into a squad car.
Responding to later questions, Loining said that, over the past two years, “We have lost numerous officers for a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to retirement, accepted employment outside of our department, accepted law enforcement positions with other agencies, and medical disabilities.”
Loining said the 2nd Precinct was assigned four new officers from the most recent Police Academy graduation, and that he expects another 12 or more from the expected four more academies to be held in 2022. Also, the MPD is seeking to hire experienced officers from other police departments, whose experience would require shorter training, getting them out on the streets sooner.
There was some discussion at 2-PAC about crime around the University of Minnesota campus. It was suggested that young people who come from neighborhoods where crime is low might not feel the need for a heightened awareness of crimes of opportunity such as robberies of wallets, cell phones or vehicles. Loining also addressed community concerns about the horrific Dec. 8 accident in Northeast involving a stolen car and a police chase. Two passengers were killed and three injured when the car crashed at Lowry Avenue and Hayes Street. Loining said, “Robbinsdale PD pursued the vehicle. No MPD officers were involved.”
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, after a decade of steady expansion, local police departments in 2020 decreased about 1% (although larger departments had closer to a 4% decrease in staff). Most police departments have rarely ever been at their authorized levels of staffing, and many of the officers who retired in 2020 and 2021 were probably going to retire in a couple of years anyway. The debate over the future of police employment is also taking place amid a surge in gun violence and homicides that many places haven’t experienced for decades. One estimate of preliminary FBI data shows the number of homicides nationwide rose by 30% from 2019 to 2020. The 2021 statistics aren’t in yet, but the rate, while still high, has slowed somewhat from 2020.
According to the non-profit think tank Police Executive Research Forum, over the last year police departments reported a 5% decrease in the hiring rate; an 18% increase in the resignation rate, and a 45% increase in the retirement rate. The rise and fall of violent crime rates are complex, and the connection with police staffing levels is not clear. Relatively little of police officers’ time is devoted to responding to violent crime.
Housing needs are also a subject of concern, with increased homelessness in the city, including the 2nd Precinct. Probation Officer Holly Ihrke said teams of health care and resource workers are working to provide medical and housing needs.
Together with staff in the city attorney’s office, Bloomington city attorneys, and the Minneapolis public defenders office, a housing readiness bench warrant resolution process was developed to help resolve outstanding warrants or cases that prevent people from getting permanent housing (landlords don’t like to rent to people with pending cases.) The city and county attorney’s offices and public defenders negotiated an agreement on the cases they’re willing to address; the aim is to prevent charging of livability crimes that would not happen if people had a place to go.
Loining retiring January 29
We asked Loining about his own future. His reply, “After proudly serving with the Minneapolis Police Department for 29 years, I have made the tough decision to retire effective January 29. Serving as the 2nd Precinct Inspector for the past six years has been, without question, the highlight of my career. It has been an honor to serve the fine citizens of Northeast Minneapolis.”
Below: Crime statistics provided by Minneapolis Police Department 2nd Precinct