I had thought we had discussed this issue pretty thoroughly a couple of
weeks ago. Let me reiterate a few facts:
1) Crime is down substantially in Minneapolis. Lower than it has been in
decades. This is something to be celebrated.
At the same time, complaints about inappropriate police action are also
down. There are three ways of measuring this:
a) complaints lodged at the Police Internal Affairs
b) complaints lodged at the Police Civilian Review
c) complaints brought through the court system, which leads to another
measure;
i) payouts from lawsuits brought against the City
Complaints at all these bodies are down. Payouts from the City down. Facts
simply don't support the allegations made in this post. In fact, we have a
police chief who has both improved public safety and reduced inappropriate
actions by the police at the same time. To my mine, we should be writing
in support of Chief Olson.
To address a one specific point on the alleged "fiscal irresponsibility."
No department head controls their own budget. The Mayor and the City
Council do. And they increased the Police budget to respond to citizens
demand to reduce crime. And they were very success. Crime is way down.
They Council and Mayor should also be complemented for taking the risk to
invest to bring about this great success.
And as to the statistic of the police budget growing from 23% of the General
Fund to 40% of the General Fund (the Police budget is 37% of the Mayor's
2001 proposed budget actually). This statistic is as much because of costs
were shifted out of the General Fund (Solid Waste, graffiti, debt service,
etc) as it is about the Police budget growing.
There will always be inappropriate actions by the Police. They aren't the
supermen that some folks on this list have made them out to be - being able
to shoot out tires as cars speed at them for example - but folks like you
and me. Sometimes they make mistakes. Occasionally there is someone who
isn't particularly good at their job and should be fired. But the
allegation that there is some burgoning problem simply isn't true. Facts
show that Chief Olson has done a great job.
Carol Becker
Longfellow
----- Original Message -----
From: David Shove <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 1:29 AM
Subject: Chief Olson's Got to Go! (fwd)
> From: Michelle Gross <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Chief Olson's Got to Go!
>
> As everyone knows, police brutality has been a serious and ongoing problem
> in the Twin Cities area. However, incidents of brutality, use of
> excessive force and racial profiling have skyrocketed under Police Chief
> Robert Olson. Either through bad leadership or open encouragement, cops
> are out of control here and it is time for Olson to go!
>
> Olson is due for reappointment for another three-year term on December
> 29th. We think we need to come together as a community to see that he is
> NOT reappointed. No, this won't end police brutality in our fair city,
> but it will send a powerful message to the cops that we will hold them and
> their leadership accountable for the things they do.
>
> There are lots of reasons for Olson not to be reappointed but here's some
> that our organization has noted:
>
> · Five people killed.
> In the past twelve months, five citizens have been shot dead by the
> Minneapolis police. The victims included Barbara Schneider, a forty-nine
> year old Jewish historian, and Alfred "Abuka" Sanders, a young father of
> four, known for his musical talent, good nature, and contributions to the
> community.
>
> · Racial profiling and harassment.
> There has been rampant racial profiling and harassment in Minneapolis
> under the CODEFOR program. Police have been quoted by media as referring
> to unjustified arrests and holding innocent people in jail over a weekend
> as "an inconvenience." Even Ken White, executive director of the
> Minneapolis civil rights department, was stopped and harassed by six white
> police officers for the "crime" of taking a grandchild to a park in the
> Phillips neighborhood.
>
> ·Overreaction to political protests.
> At this summer's ISAG conference, police under Olson's direction made an
> armed camp of downtown. Pepper spray, rubber bullets and clubs were used
> on nonviolent protesters and legal observers. There was widespread
> infiltration of legal organizations by undercover police, a civil rights
> violation. More than seventy people were arrested. Most of the charges
> were later dropped or dismissed.
>
> · Fiscal Irresponsibility.
> Under Olson's management, the police department's budget rose from 23% to
> 40% of the total Minneapolis budget. Much of this increase is due to
> reliance on gadgets, expensive special units and militarization of the
> police, rather than good police training. The police response to
> approximately two hundred nonviolent protesters at the ISAG conference
> cost the city $1.15 million.
>
> HAT YOU CAN DO
>
> Contact the mayor and the city council:
>
> Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton (612) 673-2100
> Ward 1 Paul Ostrow (612) 673-2201
> Ward 2 Joan Campbell (612) 673-2202
> Ward 3 Joe Biernat (612) 673-2203
> Ward 4 Barbara Johnson (612) 673-2204
> Ward 5 Jackie Cherryhomes (612) 673-2205
> Ward 6 Jim Niland (612) 673-2206
> Ward 7 Lisa Goodman (612) 673-2207
> Ward 8 Brian Herron (612) 673-2208
> Ward 9 Kathy Thurber (612) 673-2209
> Ward 10 Lisa McDonald (612) 673-2210
> Ward 11 S. Doré Mead (612) 673-2211
> Ward 12 Sandy Colvin Roy (612) 673-2212
> Ward 13 Barret Lane (612) 673-2213
>
> · Attend these important meetings where Olson's reappointment will be
> considered:
>
> December 20, 1:00 p.m.
> Public Safety and Regulatory Services Committee, Room 319, City Hall.
> Meet in the hall outside the meeting space at 12:30 p.m. to sign up to
> speak and get a sign.
>
> December 29, 9:30 a.m.
> Full City Council meeting, Room 319, City Hall. Meet in the hall outside
> the meeting space at 9:00 a.m. to get a sign.
>
> Contact Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB):
> We meet at Arise Books 2441 Lyndale Ave S, every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.
> For more information, call (651) 649-4579
>
> PLEASE POST THIS TO OTHER LISTS--SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE!
>
> MINNEAPOLIS COPS OUT OF CONTROL! CHIEF OLSON'S GOT TO GO!
>
> ----
> fwd by David Shove
> Roseville
>
>
