Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty spoke Wednesday about her office's youth auto theft intervention program. Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne also spoke. (Louis Krauss/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said on Wednesday that in the year since it launched, the office’s youth auto theft intervention initiative has helped reduce car thefts by nearly a third so far in 2024.

Minneapolis had a record number of car thefts in 2023. It has seen a 30% decrease in auto theft reports in 2024 compared with the same period last year. However, the city still saw a 140% increase in car theft reports this year compared with 2019. Moriarty acknowledged that there is more work to be done.

During a news conference Wednesday, she discussed the influence of the program, which launched in June of 2023, and showcased the results, including positive data trends from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

“This initiative shows that when prosecutors, law enforcement and social workers work together to intervene early, and support young people and their families, we can prevent crime from occurring,” she said, adding that law enforcement have asked her office to expand the program into addressing other crimes.

The program aims to reduce youth auto thefts through a partnership among law enforcement agencies, truancy teams and county Child Protection Services. It is designed to provide resources to young people and their families before they end up in the justice system.

Police across the county refer juveniles to the program who have participated in stealing vehicles but have not been charged with a crime. If they qualify, the county will offer resources to the youth and their families. The participants can include those who have been charged in the past or have not been charged. Anyone who has an active criminal case or is on probation cannot be referred, and the program does not accept anyone 18 or older.

Since the initiative began, 81% of the participants who were referred to the voluntary services had no new charges as of May 15, Moriarty said.

Services include mental health services, transportation, basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, and more, Moriarty said. The vast majority receive services from a social worker, according to the attorney’s office. The second part of the program aims to expedite charging decisions for juveniles.

Brian Peters is executive director of the Minnesota Police & Peace Officers Association, the state’s largest organization representing public safety professionals, which has publicly been at odds with Moriarty. Peters said he is skeptical of the program’s success. He has criticized Moriarty over the handling of charges against state trooper Ryan Londregan in the fatal shooting of motorist Ricky Cobb II. Charges were dismissed earlier this month.

“We applaud any work that is done to effectively address public safety,” Peters said. “We are however cautioned when the data we have is being interpreted by a leader who has a strong bias against law enforcement.”

Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne joined Moriarty at the news conference and backed her, saying the numbers speak for themselves.

“We have clear results about what it means to do early intervention and we have results that are showing a level of efficacy that goes far and beyond our ability to respond to this with just police,” he said.

Star Tribune staff writer Jeff Hargarten contributed to this story.