As the leader of the largest sheriff's office in the state, I encourage Minneapolis residents to vote no on Question 2. I agree with the group of faith leaders who, in a recent commentary ("We need reinforcements, not Question 2," Oct. 25), shared their collective belief that transformation of the law enforcement profession is absolutely needed, but that Question 2 does not provide any sort of plan to improve and evolve policing.
Violent crime is already up in Minneapolis. We cannot afford for it to get worse. The reality is that we need more police officers, not fewer. This week, I asked the Hennepin County Board for more deputies for this exact reason. A "yes" vote on Question 2 would leave Minneapolis with fewer officers at the precisely wrong time.
It has been well documented that staffing levels at the Minneapolis Police Department are already down to critical levels. What's less well known is that staffing levels are down across most law enforcement agencies around the state. Most police departments and sheriff's offices in the metro and in greater Minnesota are struggling to fill positions and meet the needs of their communities.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is, and always will be, committed to the safety of every municipality in Hennepin County. As part of our mission, we also offer public safety services to 36 other law enforcement agencies in the county.
We have recently seen a rise in requests for services from our local law enforcement partners and have shifted additional resources specifically to fight violent crime — our top priority. Also, to improve safety in emergency departments that are becoming more violent and unpredictable, we now provide 24/7 coverage at two major metro-area hospitals.
We will continue this focus on reducing violent crime for as long as it is necessary. It does, however, come at a cost. Shifting resources means that some areas we are mandated to provide by state statute, such as courtroom security and running the largest jail in Minnesota, are stretched incredibly thin.
We are already challenged by the increase in crime, and there's no reason to think it will get better with the uncertainty that would follow if Question 2 passed.
I first ran for sheriff with the belief that our profession needs to evolve. Evolving means hiring the best people who reflect the communities we serve and then giving them 21st century training and the tools needed to succeed in this incredibly difficult and stress-filled profession. This is the proper path forward for law enforcement.
