[Mpls] Re: Mpls Digest, Vol 22, Issue 3

[Guy Gambill]

Hello,

   I would like to respond to this post:

"This past Monday, NPR reprted that the FBI crime
statistics had been published (Morning Edition,
9/26/05.)  According to the news report, the 
FBI claims that crime in Minneapolis is only up by 5%,
not the 44% that the Peter McLaughlin campaign claims.
  Also according to the same news report, crime has
increased at a higher rate (12%) in "tough on crime" 
Mayor Randy Kelly's St. Paul. 
 
Where are the Police Federation attack ads against
Randy Kelly?  Where is the "anybody but Kelly"
attitude (similar to the one they displayed against
Rybak?)  Could it be that the Police Federation is
only 
concerned with furthering a political agenda and not
really concerned with reducing crime."

 First of all, I would like to quote from Commissioner
Mclaughlin's Campaign web-site on his campaign's 
citing of statistical increases in the crime rate;

"According to the Mayor’s own Police Department,
violent crime in Minneapolis has increased by more
than 15 percent so far this year compared to the same
period in 2004.  This number includes a 55 percent
increase in homicides and an almost 35 percent
increase in aggravated assaults."

  This quotation may be referenced at:

http://www.petermclaughlin.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={1B604B1C-A492-48BF-8637-AB8EF530FF1C}

  The current excitement over soaring crime rates
(making Public Safety the #1 issue in elections city
wide) is a phenomenon that has been fed by many in
the community and something which I have long
challenged--refer to the many posts I have done over
these past months on the issue. 
  I am a Mclaughlin supporter for a variety of
reasons,
but in the area of Law Enforcement and Public Safety
I would like to recount the following;

1). The formation of Judge Hopper's Downtown Mental
    Health and Criminal Justice Task Force. This move
    is a pro-active step in the right direction which
    has been undertaken in many other cities 
    nation-wide. Commissioner Mclaughlin has never
    missed a meeting and is actively engaged in 
    working with the membership of the group to 
    explore alternative responses to offenders who
    are Mentally Ill, to Livability Crime, to the
    problems of recidivism and the innovative work
    being done through various Restorative Justice
    programs.
2). An active engagement in NRP programs that work
    with various Community-Policing efforts.
3). Active engagement with organizations like
    the Barbara Schneider Foundation and with our
    former Decriminalization of Homelessness Task
    Force.
4). A sincere interest in learning from Best Practices
    Methodologies like the McDonald and Associates
    HUD contracted study from 2003. 

  To name a few...Commissioner Mclaughlin, by my 
personal experience, takes the time to learn and to
talk to people. In terms of Public Safety, you can
throw money blindly at a rise in criminal activity,
or you can spend wisely...look at other ways of 
approaching the matter. 
  Again and again and again I run into Commissioner
Mclaughlin, personally. He attended the Veteran's
Forum last weekend...he assisted MACV and our Veterans
on the South-Side (anyone out there will tell you
that,
at either MACV or the VAMC). He attends Judge Hopper's
Work-Group. He works with those of us who are engaged
in finding solutions to livability crime...how to
do things differently, more effectively. I am told
by many NRP and neighborhood reps that Commissioner
Mclaughlin takes the time to try and make a
difference.
  I am a member of a number of Boards in our City,
of a number of work-groups...I am constantly working
with issues surrounding Public Safety, Homelessness,
Veterans, Mental Health and alternative response...
I am constantly involved on a number of issues...I 
still have never had a conversation with our Mayor.
  On the inflation of crime statistics...well, no
surprise there...in terms of the FBI citation of a 
5% increase...been saying that for months. The entire
City has been issuing a series of shrill cries about
the spiraling crime rate...this is not something that
I
see as having derived out of the Mclaughlin campaign.
It anteceded the election, period. I think that many
have been wildly irresponsible in their assessments. 
  The PCRC process is a shambles...the tension around
the issues which gave rise to the Federal Mediation
Process at its inception are elevated to an unbearable
degree. The Mayor has chosen not to provide leadership
in this department, either. 
  Lastly, I get a kick out of the "Old Guard" epithet
attached to Mclaughlin supporters by those in RT's
camp...tell you what, I and the vast majority of the
Mclaughlin supporters that I have met are about as far
from being members of any semblance of an "old guard"
as you could possibly be. 
  Political? Just compare the list of those endorsing
Peter Mclaughlin with those endorsing RT...how in the
heck can we be the "old guard"? It is beyond
ludicrous.
Can someone please explain to me how this in any way
represents a valid assessment of the situation? 
  I don't always agree with Peter Mclaughlin or with
RT...the big difference would be that at least I know
where Peter stands...RT shifts positions so often it
is well nigh impossible to ascertain where he stands-
or will stand-on any given day. I have much more 
respect for someone who takes up a position and holds
to it (even if it is a position I disagree with) than
someone who seeks to be all things to all people and,
essentially, accomplishes little through personal
effort...opting to co-opt the work of others instead.
  I winced at the Mayoral debates that I have
attended...listening to RT's assertions that he has
backed this or that effort in which I have had a
personal involvement...he was nowhere to be seen,
frankly, in many of these processes. Why doesn't that
seem to matter? Why is it that so many people are 
willing to swallow such fabrications?

Guy Gambill
(Uptown)



		
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