Fear of random violent crime is growing in the Twin Cities. In recent weeks, residents have been attacked at various times of the day and in communities across the metro.
Some victims have been knocked down and had purses snatched, while others have been threatened at gunpoint by carjackers. Still others have been robbed while coming or going from their own garages. In one December incident, a clerk at Bryn Mawr Market in Minneapolis was pistol-whipped and shot by robbers.
Authorities have traced most of these frightening cases to teens as young as 13. And they're rightly concerned that some — even after they're tracked down and arrested — are released too soon and go on to become repeat offenders.
Recently two law enforcement groups have called on prosecutors to get tougher on crime, arguing that accountability is lacking. And they suggest changes and legislation that should be considered by the courts, lawmakers, prosecutors and the community.
In a letter to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, the Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association (HCCPA) asked for major changes in the way violent juvenile offenders are treated. They said they work to arrest suspects, but that the "continued trend of not charging these cases, many involving guns and illicit drugs, needs to be urgently reevaluated."
The group called for more aggressive prosecution, bail reform and an end to the use of "sign and release" warrants that allow those who have missed court dates for low-level offenses to be released rather than taken into custody. They're also asking that the criteria for sending a young offender to juvenile detention be changed so that cops won't be forced to immediately release repeat offenders.
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association (MCPA) sent a letter voicing similar concerns late last month to Freeman and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. They wrote that at times county attorneys are unwilling to pursue felony cases, so police have been forced to turn to city prosecutors to pursue lesser charges. They want state legislation that would require county attorneys to provide data to the Legislature about felony-level offenses that go uncharged.
The push to get serious about juvenile crime comes amid a disturbing increase in violent crime in Minneapolis and St. Paul. With 97 homicides in 2021, Minneapolis tied its previous record, according to Star Tribune data. The city also recorded more than 650 gunshot victims. St. Paul set a new homicide record with 38 deaths. And both cities saw carjackings soar from just a handful a few years ago to over 100 in St. Paul and over 600 in Minneapolis.
