St. Paul police chief: Officers 'are being pushed to the brink'
Following four homicides over the weekend, St. Paul is on the same trajectory as in 2020, which with a 25% increase in violent crime marked one of the deadliest years on record. Just days after the St. Paul community experienced its 22nd homicide in 2021, the St. Paul police chief proposed for more funding from the city budget to help combat this increase. According to the chief, officers “are being pushed to the brink” and the additional funding would help replace retired police officers and increase “operational capacity.”
Without it, the department will struggle to keep up with the 4,000 new calls it has started to receive, as well as maintain that the city is staffed with at least 620 officers at all times. The St. Paul police department currently operates with 563 police officers due to the decrease in support for public safety officers and significantly higher number of retirements than in recent years.
As the leader of our state, Governor Walz has shown no interest in intervening on behalf of the St. Paul police department and general public to ensure that law enforcement receives proper funding to maintain necessary staffing levels. Numerous reports indicate that crime in Minnesota is out of control and with limited resources, officers have been stretched thin trying to close cases.
Public safety is a top issue for Minnesota residents and we deserve a leader who prioritizes and is vocal about the importance of maintaining the welfare of society. Children are dying in Northern Minneapolis because of the rampant gun violence, St. Paul experienced four homicides in a matter of days, and Maplewood is dealing with the aftermath of its first homicide in its community.
Enough is enough. It’s no longer sufficient for Governor Walz to play both sides of the ‘defund the police’ issue in order to appeal to voters. The safety of our families and communities depend on a strong elected official who will stand up for law enforcement and ensure that they receive adequate funding for them to be able to perform their jobs, but Governor Walz has proven he’s not capable of performing this duty.