Last Updated on February 17, 2022
After the Minneapolis City Council voted to defund the police force, crime rates have spiked, prompting some to believe that local law enforcement is deliberately failing to answer 911 calls as council members have been overwhelmed by complaints of requests for assistance going unanswered.
Weeks after the in-custody death of suspected fraudster George Floyd–and the ensuing civil unrest against alleged police brutality and so-called “systemic racism”–the Minneapolis City Council voted to defund the police force opting to replace it with a “community-led public safety system.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) had also signaled his intent to launch a “massive structural reform to revise a structurally racist system,” within the police department.
A million dollars, usually earmarked for the Police Department, was rerouted to the Health Department to deploy “violence interrupters” in an effort to neutralize potentially violent situations from occurring.
Police Chief Medaria Arradondo was pressured by council members to address the increase in violent crimes including armed robbery, daylight carjackings, shootings, and assaults.
Murders in 2020 so far have already surpassed last years tally. The recent civil unrest also played a part in spiking crimes such as arson, robbery, assault, and property damage.
Arson is currently up by 55% against this time last year, reported MPR News.
Council Member Jamal Osman said, “Residents are asking, ‘Where are the police?’” when retelling Minneapolis citizens’ complaints over how some 911 calls are going unheard.
The Minneapolis City Council President, Lisa Bender, went one further and accused the police of deliberately failing to answer calls, according to The New York Post.
“This is not new,” Bender explained. “But it is very concerning in the current context.”
Around 100 police officers have either stepped down or took a leave of absence–more than double the amount from last year according to Arradondo.
Arradondo, who has been police chief since 2017, said: “We need to make sure that our communities know that we are going to be there, that we’re going to be responsive. We’ve taken an oath to do that.”
Council members were told by Arradondo that increased measures to tackle robberies had been implemented by the Police Force.
In spite of this crime crackdown, some residents have told council members they feel “terrorized” with the recent crime wave.
Support Independent Journalism
Order Lionel Du Cane’s Books: https://amzn.to/2FqnigM & https://amzn.to/2QzTi3y
Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OrwellNGoode
Like him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrwellNGoode
Follow him on GAB: https://gab.com/OrwellGoode
