Secrets of the City

We’ve been over the use of tasers before, and there’s no clear concensus as to the appropriateness of their use, but this seems a bit beyond the pale: The Minneapolis Police Department is dealing with yet another lawsuit, this time for allegedly using a Taser on a man’s neck while he is seen with his hands on the car and not resisting the officer.

WCCO has a video.

You’ve probably seen the footage of Derryl Jenkins getting beaten by the police, or seen the photo of his bleeding and swollen face. The case has raised enough questions that Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan has asked the FBI to review the incident to determine if the use of force was appropriate. But there’s one guy who has no questions: Lt. Mike Sauro, who wrote, in an email, “What I observed was a controlled use of force by a group of highly trained professional police officers.” He also claimed the FBI doesn’t know what the appropriate use of force is, because — well, it’s a little murky, but his point seems to be because they couldn’t stop 9/11.

Who is Mike Sauro? From the WCCO story linked above: Sauro is a high-profile supervisor who was the subject of an excessive force civil lawsuit that cost the city of Minneapolis more than $1 million back in the early 90s.

Animal Ark details the shooting of a family pet by Columbia Heights police, and then provides their criticism of the killing: One thing, however, is certain: an entire community of people failed this dog, the dog’s owner who left their pet unsupervised in the yard, the parents of the kids who failed to teach or supervise them, and the city, who clearly failed to train law enforcement personnel who responded to this situation.

From the Pioneer Press: Veteran North St. Paul police officer Richard Crittenden apparently was shot dead with his own gun during a violent struggle with a man who lunged at his estranged wife and the slain officer with a burning towel or rag.

Sounds like things got a little out of control at a Minneapolis strip club after a police versus firemen softball game: By the time the off-duty Minneapolis officers arrived at the Double Deuce strip club, still in their softball uniforms, the owner told FOX 9, the cops were so intoxicated that the bouncer wouldn’t let them in the strip club.

The owner says the officers even started flashing their badges, trying to intimidate the bouncer. And in retaliation, one of the officers allegedly urinated on the club’s wall. The incident was caught on video.

According to the story, the cops then went to Mayslaks and started roughing people up.

The Star Tribune takes a look into the recently shuttered Metro Gang Strike Force, which sounds as though it was a calamity wrapped inside a disaster: The state inquiry into the disbanded Strike Force uncovered “substantial evidence of misconduct” that went well beyond revelations previously reported by news media or uncovered in earlier government investigations.

Some examples: The Strike Force “repeatedly took home seized property for personal use,” including “flat- and large-screen TVs, laptops and other computer equipment, electronics and recreational items such as water scooters.” According to the story, they targeted minorities and took their property even when they weren’t gang members and no prosecutions were planned. One question that doesn’t seem to be answered is how an anti-gang unit could have turned into what sounds like a professional shakedown unit.

MPR looks at the case of, and gives us a video of, Derryl Jenkins, who is alleging police brutality as a result of a encounter on February 19. The video shows him being subdued by one officer, and then, while subdued, being beaten and tased by other officers who arrive. Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan has sent the video to the FBI for review, which is not unusual in cases of alleged undue force. From the story, from an interview with a retired officer: “There wasn’t a threat of flight. There wasn’t a threat, an immediate threat, to any of the officers who responded,” he said. “So if you look at it in those terms, you’ve probably got a case for excessive force.”

The Strib reports: The city of St. Paul has filed two lawsuits against street gangs in an effort to limit their presence at the Rondo Festival and Parade later this month…

If the injunction is approved, the named alleged gang members would not be allowed to associate in the safety zone with other gang members. They also could not intimidate people, use gang signs, wear gang clothing or recruit others.

Our own Max Sparber witnessed a police shooting incident near his home last night. In his blog, he links to his Twitter messages about the incident. Has anything like this happened in your neighborhoods, fellow MNspeakers? If so, how does it make you feel about your (and your loved ones) safety and security? Does it make you want to a) buy a gun b) lock your doors c) move away or d) work harder to make your neighborhood a safer place to live? Share your thoughts.

Metroblogging does a round-up of stories about the Gang Strike Force, which is currently in hot water over missing assets and money: The strike force was unable to account for at least $18,126 of seized cash and could not locate or support the legal disposition of at least 13 forfeited vehicles and one seized vehicle held as evidence