Secrets of the City

sorry for the terrible quality, but here’s Diablo on Letterman.

1. Let’s not screw up the University LRT by not tunneling through the U. I think we screwed up Hiawatha by not tunneling through downtown.

2. Thanks, Doug, but I care about other neighborhoods plenty. The difference is the people of Uptown get mad and then do something about it that will be effective. We just seem to care more and are unwilling to watch our neighborhood spiral out of control the way others have.

Thanks for that upload, Chuck! I forgot to TiVo last night. And Diablo handled herself (and Dave) perfectly! I haven’t read the book…. but now I have to check it out.

Yeah, Letterman seemed really impressed with her. She looked so confident, and even though the audience only picked up on half her jokes she still kept them laughing the whole time.

Kevin, good point in your second comment. Any community that doesn’t actively rebuke violence will end up passively accepting it. Once that mentality becomes ingrained, it is hard for police or anyone else to help. I am glad to see the people of uptown taking the active approach.

Yeah, I never planned on reading her book, but I really enjoyed her performance last night. She was able to play off of Dave, which is no small task, and only looked a little nervous while still being kinda funny.

Oh, and I agree with the rest of you about Cody. Her performance was impressive.

I wouldn’t feel so superior about Uptown’s reaction to this horrible crime. The poorer neighborhoods have had the exact same reaction and have tried to get things done about it after every single brazen murder or accidental shooting death.

But they don’t have the same political and economic power that Uptown does, so they get the shaft.

Now that we in Uptown have seen what it feels like up close, I think it’s important to remember our neighbors up North have been dealing with this for a long time, and make common cause with them.

I agree partly with you Luke. You are correct in saying that the other neighborhoods do not have the requisite political and economic power to drive broad changes. I also agree that the law-abiding uptown citizens should empathize with the law-abiding citizens of the other neighborhoods. However, most of the violent crime in uptown is not organic to its citizens; it comes from other parts of the city. For the most part, the uptown culture does not breed and condone violence. Now, I know that most citizens in the other neighborhoods do not condone violence either, but there is a larger percentage that do. And, my point about passive acceptance was that many of those from other neighborhoods who do not condone violence have begrudgingly accepted it as a part of life, and once that passive acceptance happens it is hard to change  though still worth the fight.

Luke speaks wise truths.

Who is the “us” and “our” that Doug Grow mentions? His point is proved by the tone of his article: the creative urban class is as insular and disconnected as anyplace. Is he assuming that people on the north side don’t read the paper??

Whole lot of wisdom being posted here. I hope Minneapolis resists the urge to pit neighborhood against neighborhood with regards to stopping the crime wave. It’s a CITY-WIDE problem.

Has anyone heard anything from the mayor about this? Ever?

I think he was trying to speak towards the city-wide reaction – as if everyone has a stake in uptown because it represents the city – but I agree with your reaction; his article did come across a bit myopic.

As Matt posted yesterday, one tends to hear from candidates about crime and needing more police right before the elections. It’s a proven economic fact.

There’s no doubt we need more cops.

True Kevin, it is city-wide. We are all connected, and only as strong as our weakest link. This is why it is important to realize that the city-wide decisions we make today regarding schools, social programs, law enforcement, jobs, etc. will influence crime ten years from now. That is why everyone has the responsibility to be an informed, active, and conscientious citizen of the city. Otherwise, we will only have ourselves to blame.

It’s a metro-wide concern (perhaps not in policy, but for civic and human reasons). This is the metro area it is because of the people who live on every last side of its arbitrary boundaries.

The impoverished neighborhoods often respond to crime in a counterproductive way. Most notably, they tend to view police as the enemy, while the Uptown denizens view the police as a positive force.

Here is a fine example (Rake pimp alert) from Clinton Collins’ column in The Rake: “Since more Minneapolis police than ever live outside the city, one should not be surprised if many Minneapolitans view the police as an occupying forcemodern-day mercenaries who live one place and take money to fight battles somewhere else.”

I like this statement from the deputy chief because it shows they are looking at a real and comprehensive solution rather than focusing on a knee-jerk reaction that would only smooth things over for now (from KSTP):

The shooting is forcing police to rethink their approach to policing the streets in Uptown, and more officers may not be the solution.

“I can assure you that it’s a top priority for us right now,” said Deputy Chief Sharon Lubinski, of the Minneapolis PD. “It’s not always a matter of just adding officers, so much as using the officers in a better way and using our intelligence better; we have a great unit that provides us street intelligence here.”

Does anyone know if it is possible for the MPD to open an office in the Uptown area? I don’t know if that is something the city can or does do, but it’s an idea worth considering, I think.

There was(is) a police satellite office built next to the McDonalds on Hennepin when they renovated. I don’t know why it isn’t used anymore.

At the time I think it was put in to scare the McPunks away.

Too sad.

He was walking to his car with his mother after dinner and got shot. Tragedy.

Kevin,

There used to be an office, the uptown cop shop, right by the MacDonald’s on Henn/Lagoon. It was closed because of budget cuts, which were the result of cuts to the city from state and federal government. Same with bike cops. But hey, let’s have some more tax cuts!

The impoverished neighborhoods often respond to crime in a counterproductive way. Most notably, they tend to view police as the enemy, while the Uptown denizens view the police as a positive force.
THis is because police are the enemy is poorer neighborhoods. They take their time responding to urgent calls, the person who phoned for help is often bullied & interogated, and there is little follow up on crimes. And if you’re a new american, it’s even worse as the fear of status checks is imminent.
As for the “Uptown Denizens”. Well, they are largely white, middle class Calhoun Square shopping folk who joke with the officer as they slide their bags of pot beneath the sofa cushions. If the police notice, they are likely to look the other way & take their plights more seriously if not solely based upon their street address.
I am concerned about crime through out this city as it is the city I have lived in my entire life & feel proud of. But what makes me sad is that because this most recent shooting happened on South 31st & Girard it is more likely to be solved than if it happened on North 31st & Girard. That does not leave me with a lot of pride for my city.

You put a referendum on this year’s ballot for a citywide tax increase dedicated specifically to hiring more cops and I’ll vote for it. You can even make it permanent. If we can do it to build a library, we can sure as hell do it to hire cops.

I have to keep reminding people that unlike a lot of the other violence around town, the victim was a total stranger to his killers, and didn’t resist them as they committed the robbery. As the thieves fled from their heist, for some reason they shot him, not once, but TWICE… in the HEAD.

They got away easily enough, so why were shots fired at all? You can scare someone off easily enough with a single shot into the ground. One shot into lower body will immobilize any threat, armed or otherwise. These were shots (PLURAL) to the head, unless their aim is just consistently bad and they simply meant to maim, then the intent was murder — and the head is a much more difficult target than the chest.

Kevin, I emailed RT yesterday suggesting just that. But it is important to recognize the state and national environment that has lead us to where we are now.

Amen, Kevin. I’m there. While we’re at it, let’s keep the libraries open more than three days a week. I don’t know why but it seems that if we did, maybe at least one murdering jerk might find something better to do.

But it is important to recognize the state and national environment that has lead us to where we are now.

Ah yes. It is so much easier to blame a remote funding source than to face up to the real problem. We need to start questioning the city policies that encourage thugs like these to relocate to these parts. Because we all know that dollars to donuts, the perps are not from here. This culture does not teach those behaviors. I would examine every state and city policy regarding public assistance to new “immigrants” and see if in our generousity, we aren’t really just attracting some other burg’s persona non gratae.

And you can call me a racist for my insinuations if you wish, but the truth is what it is.

Looks like it’s confirmed that the guy died. :\

Reminds me of Willie Sutton, who when asked why he robbed banks, replied, “Because that’s where the money is.”

Note the Strib story that spoke of the displacement of crime. Where the cops go, the criminals go somewhere else. Note, too, the opinion that they’re coming to uptown because that’s where the money is.

So, it seems the answer is to have enough cops to cover more than one place at once and not be in the purely reactive mode we are in now. Cops on beats. I’ve seen it work in other cities. Cops in cars responding to 911 calls…too late.

I hope we can refrain from immigrant bashing in this instance until we know who did the shooting.

So it seems that Hennipin County has enough money to fly planes over the entire area and take pictures of every building. This little adventure is costing $400,000. It seems that the money is out there but that more foot patrol cops are just not cool enough to pay for. Appearenly what we really need is “aerial photo library of digital, full-color, three-dimensional images complete with distance data for perspective.”

The troubling thing about this is that I can not imagine how it will prevent crime. Sure it will help the SWAT team bust door in on people, but usually by then it is too late for some victom.

I am personally a big fan of foot patrols and bike cops. I bike a lot and know that I am way more connected to what is going on around me than when I am in a car. How much could it cost a year to hire and outfit cops that dont need cars or digital maps?

oh and dtester you are racist.

dtester – finally, someone with some stones.

Just read the B-section and read the names or look at the photos of the perps.

And we NEVER learn anything about where they are ‘from’ or their ‘backgrounds’.

Case in point: the scumbag that murdered Officer Gerald Vicks.

The Hastings kids that shoot their parents – we get lock stock and barrel on.

Like there’s was no place, other than police services, where local government could have decreased spending in light of the draconian State and Federal “cuts”.

Politicians using law enforcement issues for political advantage is malfeasance of the highest order.

“Hennepin County is upgrading emergency preparedness by spending about $400,000 for a program to map every real estate parcel with high-resolution aerial digital images.”

google news that phrase to see the article without having to register.

This thread, along with yesterday’s, has completely demonstrated that MNSpeak is an ill-suited forum for discussing important topics such as crime. More Diablo, please.

And then suddenly, I realized that spaceman really is who I thought he was.

champs, is that really YOU?! It has been so long since we’ve sat down together for a spaghetti dinner . . .

I’m sure it’s a different champs.

This thread, along with yesterday’s, has completely demonstrated that MNSpeak is an ill-suited forum for discussing important topics such as crime. More Diablo, please.

Democracy!

And mattsteg — you’re here too! I was sure that you all were eaten by the BWCA Sasquatch.

Hey! This is for anyone who wants to blame immigration for crime in Minneapolis, especially those who think we natives have some sort of premium on good, clean livin’…
From the NYT, 3/11/06, by Robert J. Sampson, Harvard prof and researcher:

Surprisingly, we found a significantly lower rate of violence among Mexican-Americans than among blacks and whites. A major reason is that more than a quarter of all those of Mexican descent were born abroad and more than half lived in neighborhoods where the majority of residents were also Mexican. Indeed, the first-generation immigrants (those born outside the United States) in our study were 45 percent less likely to commit violence than were third-generation Americans, adjusting for family and neighborhood background. Second-generation immigrants were 22 percent less likely to commit violence than the third generation.

This ‘protective’ pattern among immigrants holds true for non-Hispanic whites and blacks as well. Our study further showed that living in a neighborhood of concentrated immigration is directly associated with lower violence.

I think dtester was talking about immigration in the Minnesota sense – meaning anyone not from this state. That means anyone moving up to get out of even worse conditions in Chicago is an immigrant to him. (Please correct me if I am wrong dtester).

Maybe the police would have more time to patrol if they weren’t stuck pulling people over for running red lights? If only we could automate that process to free up their time wasted on mundane traffic violations!

But seriously, look at that, rich whtie folks! If you ignore crime in poorer parts of the city long enough it will find its way to your doorstep! Maybe you should rethink your racism-through-quiet-neglect strategy next time. Oh wait, too busy gentrifying E Lake at the expense of those who made it safer! Nevermind!

Oh, and can we PLEASE elect a governor this year who will actually fund transit? It would be nice to have a SYSTEM in a few years and not just a damn ride to the MOA. If we could get a dedicated sales-tax revenue stream we could potentially build not just the central corridor but the southwest and possibly some others that the met hasn’t even dreamed up yet. Why, we could have the transit options of a REAL city!

Oh wait, no, apparantly we’re too cheap for that. I wonder if anyone will rethink the wisdom of expanding highway capacity in a few years down the road (pun intended!) when gasoline costs twice what it does now?

Interesting that the Mexicans come here, start businesses, improve neighborhoods, and largely have two parent households.

Now, if the blacks would just take a cue from that….AFTER 200 YEARS!

Ooops, that’s racist!

Mr. Christopher Anthony
Abidjan- Ivory Coast.
West Africa.

Attn: MANAGING DIRECTOR/ CEO

Dearest One,

Good a thing to write you. I have a proposal for you,this however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honour against your will.

I am Mr. Christopher Anthony, 22years old and the only son of my late parents Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Gilbert. My father was a highly reputable businness magnet-(a cocoa merchant) from Free Town in Siere Lone who operated in the capital of Ivory coast during
his days.

It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in one of his business trips abroad on 12th.February 2003.Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been masterminded by an uncle of mine who travelled with him at that time. But God
knows the truth!

My mother died when I was just 4 years ago, and since then my father took me so special. Before his death on Febuary 12 2003 he called the secretary who accompanied him to the hospital and told him that he has the sum of eleven million,seven hundred thousand United State Dollars.(USD$11,700,000) left in a fixed deposit account in one of the banks in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast.

He further told him that he deposited the money in his name,and finally issued a written instruction to his lawyer whom he said is in possession of all the documents to this fund to release the documents to me.

I am just 22 years old and a university undergraduate and really don’t know what to do.Now I want an account overseas where I can transfer this funds. This is because I have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory coast.The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life.
Sir,I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards.Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.
Now permit me to ask these few questions:-

1. Can you honestly help me as your son or brother?
2. Can I completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question
will be good for you after the money is in your
account?

Please,Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you so much.
Best regards,

Mr.Christopher Anthony.