[Mpls] A serious problem with stopping crime

[Dan McGrath]

A couple nights ago, my favorite city council candidate did something, which is, to my mind quite remarkable. What happened next is all the more astonishing. 

Dave Shegstad was alerted that a couple shady fellows were lurking in the alley behind Shegstad's home. He went out to investigate, and witnessed a team of two twenty-something, white males systematically burglarizing cars down the alley. Dave called the police. Here's where it gets odd. Dave was asked to arrest the suspects. Now, he was on the Mpls Police Reserves, but that was quite some number of years ago. Regardless, Dave did go out, and detain the duo. 

When the  police did arrive, Shegstad filled out the arrest complaint. The officers took custody of the prisoners in their squad car. A short time later, the slightly more astonishing event took place. After writing the creeping duo citations, the officers let the burglers go, saying it's only a misdemeanor, and the jail wouldn't take them. 

The police left the suspected thieves on Shegstad's block, where one of them hid in the bushes, waiting (apparently) to ambush Dave Shegstad (Shegstad stared him down), and the two of them, plus one other (a heretofore unknown lookout) resumed their crime-spree. Now, Shegstad, and one of his neighbors watched as these recently arrested, and released hoodlums made their way down the block, testing car doors, and peering in windows. Dave called the police, who returned, and questioned the suspected thieves. The suspects claimed they had lost something, and were just looking for it. The police left the scene, and lo and behold, the trio went brazenly right back to checking cars, as Shegstad and his neighbor observed. Dave called the police, again. This time, he was told the police would not be coming by. 

It gets stranger. The sergeant on duty at the Third Precinct called Dave. The sergeant told Shegstad to get back in his house, and stop calling the police, or he'd arrest Dave!

The police deliberately and knowingly allowed the continued, systematic break-ins and burglaries of parked cars in our neighborhood, and threatened Shegstad with arrest for trying to stop it!

Shegstad filed a complaint with Internal Affairs, and contacted the Mayor. The Mayor's office is investigating. 

Dan McGrath
Longfellow
http://www.shegstad.us