Bad Boys. Whatcha Gonna Do?
By Mitch Berg
There are a bunch of reasons I prefer Saint Paul to Minneapolis. One of them is the cops.
Not the cops on the streets, of course; Minneapolis cops (a number of whom read this blog) are, cop for cop, as good as any, and their hearts are all in the same places.
But when you start talking about upper leadership? Saint Paul’s chiefs come from within the department, and have worked their way up through the department’s ranks. Most Minneapolis chiefs have been political appointees from elsewhere, with indifferent-to-lousy results. And the civilian leadership? Twelve years of moderate-DFL-to-GOP-come-lately administrations under Norm Coleman and Randy Kelly helped a lot. And while I disagree with Chris Coleman on everything but bagpipes, he’s a much better, more serious mayor than RT Rybak.
And every once in a while, the SPPD just plain shows some style:
“Smile. This area is under video surveillance and has been for three months. If you sell drugs or have sold drugs then an arrest warrant will be issued for you.”
It was in relation to a sweep last week:
After a three-month investigation called Operation Shamrock, officers fanned out last week to arrest 100 people charged with drug dealing. More than 30 were picked up right away, and arrest warrants were issued for the others.
Law enforcers responded to an increase of open-air drug sales, fighting, mugging and intimidation that occurred near bus stops. Bus riders and others complained of behavior that made them afraid to wait at certain bus shelters.
Cough Cough. Sixth and Minnesota. Cough.
Good riddance.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:00 am
I’ve have lived in St. Paul for 16 years. Both Finney and Harrington have developed a police force that has earned respect from the citizens. I don’t think the Minneapolis police force has earned that respect.
Years ago at Grand Old Day, I was talking two a couple of St. Paul cops about the new Chief (Harrington). They were very happy that he had just been chosen to replace Finney.
I’ve lived through the Schiebel years, Coleman, and Kelly. Let’s hope that Chris Coleman doesn’t send us back to the Schiebel days. Coleman and Kelly did a great job of making you proud you lived in St. Paul. As Soucheray has also said, he’s worried that Rybek and Coleman are buddies. Life was better for St. Paul when my mayor wasn’t best of friends with Minneapolis’ mayor.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:46 am
My take is the Mpls appointments are decided more on political….or shall we say politically correct…..reasons then actual qualifications. The recently departed fire chief is a perfect example. They needed someone gay in a high position, so that was the primary reason she was chosen. Turned out to be a horrible choice.
As far as the bus stop….I go downtown fairly frequently on evenings and weekends, often to Lifetime Fitness, which is around the block from this location. Yes, that block is rather intimidating. It’s proabably the only part of downtown St Paul that I feel a little uncomfortable in during evenings. Nice to know they are doing something here.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Oh, and yes, with Coleman’s love affair with RT, I do worry about the future of St Paul. Throw in people like Councilman “the protesters can use my house as their headquarters” Thune in there, and we do have reasons to be apprehensive about the city.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:00 am
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2704196n
How can crime be prevented or solved when the community won’t helo?
June 12th, 2007 at 8:26 am
In defense of a relative by marriage, Chief Dolan is not a political appointee. He worked his way up through the ranks, from beat cop, to detective, to precinct commander to assistant chief. Remember, Nick Coleman endorsed him, and that says something if a guy like Tim can get an endorsement from that waste of j-school.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:09 am
Bill C,
I didn’t mention Dolan, because Dolan is the first local cop that Minneapolis has appointed chief since I’ve been in the Cities.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Bill C — I’m not sure that you ought to be flaunting the Coleman endorsement. 🙂 That said, a stopped clock is right twice a day, and while Coleman usually writes at other times, that could have been one of them.
Me, I don’t have a strong opinion, either way. There’s one thing Dolan’s done that rubbed me the wrong way — not a big deal — but we’ll see how he does. (Be interesting to see what policy/action comes down from the very top over a cop booking in somebody for violation of a nonexistent law, for example.)
That said, he does have a generally good rep.