Are Blue Lives Worth Protecting?

According to Rasmussen Reports, 59% of voters surveyed think there is a war against police going on in the United States. Also, 68% of voters are concerned that these deadly attacks will cause a shortage of police officers. The ratio of those who are concerned to those who are not concerned is more than two to one, and 44% of those concerned are very concerned.

This “defund the police” movement started in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd. On Friday, June 12, 2020, 18 days after his death, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed (1) a resolution to replace the police department with a community-led public safety system.

Here is the headline from MPR by Brandt Williams, (2) "With violent crime on the rise in Mpls., City Council asks, ‘Where are the police?’" What is it like living in Minneapolis, which in a word is more "dangerous" than just a year ago? CBS News reports that Minneapolis is now among the top 20 most dangerous cities in America. (3)

Mayor Jacob Frey announced last week that two more people were killed over the past weekend? This year, there have been 42 homicides, which is more than double the killing rate of just last year at the same time. Robberies are up 53% in central downtown.

Mayor Frey also announced that 288 people had been shot and wounded, 121 more than for the same period last year. The mayor pointed out that the active police force had declined from 850 to about 650 officers.  Minneapolis city councilors told the city police chief Tuesday that their residents feel "terrorized." They say police are "nowhere to be seen," months after the police killing of George Floyd set off protests against police brutality.

The Minneapolis City Council called on Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo to address constituents' reports of increased street racing, carjacking, robberies, assaults, and shootings. Councilmember Phillipe Cunningham criticized his fellow city councilors during the meeting, accusing them of contradicting previous statements when they called for the department to be dismantled. "I am sort of flabbergasted as right now his colleagues, who a very short time ago were calling for the abolition of the police, are now suggesting we should be putting more resources and funding into MPD."

During the two-hour meeting, several council members, including Council President Lisa Bender, said residents have complained that officers on the ground have said they will not enforce laws or make arrests.

Arradondo, who has served as chief since 2017, called the comments "troubling to hear" and promised to discuss the issue with the precincts' commanders and heads. "We need to make sure that our communities know that we are going to be there, that we're going to be responsive," the chief said. "We've taken an oath to do that."

Council Member Jamal Osman said his constituents ask, "Where are the police?" and inform him that calls to police are going unanswered. "That is the only public safety option they have at the moment. MPD. They rely on MPD. And they are saying they are nowhere to be seen," Osman said.

The Minneapolis Police Department's crime data shows a rise in assaults, robberies, and homicides, as well as property crimes and arson, Minnesota Public Radio reported. (4) More homicides have taken place in the city in the first nine months of 2020 than all of 2019. The police chief said, "The department is responding by adding more officers to patrol and investigations and attempting to suppress robberies."

But council members told Arradondo that officers are saying they're overworked and understaffed. The chief said about 200 officers have left the department this year, more than double the usual amount who step down or are inactive every year.

Were you really surprised when CHOP took over downtown Seattle, creating the new socialist environment, and within weeks, people were being shot behind the barricades? Does Councilmember Cummingham wonder why crime is up? Why are people being shot and killed in his city by record numbers?

The answer is simple: the idea that we can have an orderly society without law and order isn't viable because people die under the Minneapolis defund plan. Continue to defund the police and watch the city of Minneapolis move closer to number 1 on murders. Don't be surprised if continuing to defund the police means that the city council will be the subject of lawsuits for wrongful death for every person that dies.


NOTES:

1. www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/06/12/minneapolis-city-council-unanimously-votes-to-replace-police-with-community-led-model/#b3cb0f71a524

2. www.mprnews.org/story/2020/09/15/with-violent-crime-on-the-rise-in-mpls-city-council-asks-where-are-the-police

3. www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/14/

4. www.mprnews.org/story/2020/09/15/with-violent-crime-on-the-rise-in-mpls-city-council-asks-where-are-the-police