[Mpls] A serious problem with stopping crime

[Anne McC]

'He went out to investigate, and witnessed a
team of two twenty-something, white males systematically burglarizing cars
down the alley.' and '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'


If, as later stated, there was no evidence of entry into a vehicle or damage 
to a vehicle, then the crime would be loitering with intent which is a 
misdemeanor and very hard to prosecute. The activity would have to be 
committed in the officers presence, hence the
need for a citizen's arrest.  If the suspects then had photo identification 
and were clear warrants, the procedure prescribed by the city attorney's 
office is to tag and release.  I doubt that the city attorney's office will 
charge this case, so unless the suspects go to court and plead guilty, the 
case will probably be dismissed.

A friend of mine came to me the other day upset about an incident which 
occurred across the street from a house he was working on.  A domestic 
dispute occurred between the occupant of the house and her adult son.  When 
the son left the house, he proceeded to throw rocks at the house causing 
damage to same.  My friend and his co-workers called 911 and a sergeant 
responded.  According to my friend, the sergeant was most sympathetic but 
said he couldn't do anything since the damage was a civil matter.  Both 
parties lived in the residence and one has the right to damage his own 
property.  If mother wants restitution, she must take him to small claims 
court.  The son had left after causing the damage and before the officer got
there.  My friend thought that the sergeant was being lazy until I told him 
that what the sergeant said was indeed true.

We have gotten to the point in our society that what seems like common sense 
is not and what is ridiculous is illegal.  While I too get frustrated with 
some of our officers, I also know that they get frustrated and often 
embarrassed by not being able to take action against our miscreants.  What 
is really embarrassing is the lame excuses they have to give the citizens, 
knowing that people think they're just being lazy.  This doesn't excuse 
rudeness, but perhaps it explains it sometimes.

I can assure you all of one thing;  if  Minneapolis were faced with the same 
situation as New Orleans currently is, one third of our officers would not 
walk off the job.  Like them or not, they are professionals and 99% of them 
are police because they believe in what they do, no matter how frustrating 
it may get. Oh, and please, no snide, off line comments.  It won't change my 
view any more than I will change the views of those who send the remarks and 
it just wastes time and takes up perfectly good computer space.

Anne McCandless
Jordan