New policing push needed at U

Earlier this month, five people were shot on a Friday night in Dinkytown, the popular bar and restaurant location and commercial gathering place for the University of Minnesota's main campus. In that shocking June 18 incident, three U students were shot and all of the victims had noncritical injuries.

In response to the mayhem, University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel sent a message to faculty, staff, students and families listing immediate and long-term safety efforts that would be launched by the Minneapolis (MPD) and university police departments (UMPD).

Despite misguided earlier calls from some student groups to cut ties with the MPD, collaboration between the two departments is necessary to reduce violent crime on and near campus.

Even before the most recent shooting, violent crime was increasing near the U, similar to what has happened in other parts of metro area. In March, a boy was killed and a man injured in a nighttime shooting in Dinkytown.

In her message, Gabel detailed practical and much-needed plans, including an immediate increase in patrols by MPD and UMPD during late-night hours in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, which includes Dinkytown. University leaders will also approve more overtime for officers to cover those additional patrols.

Both police departments will install surveillance cameras in the area and will work on adding street lighting. And officials are considering establishing a safety ambassador program in which citizens would help with patrolling.

Already underway are numerous safety improvements recommended in an independent study. Last fall, an outside review of UMPD was done after students demanded more law enforcement accountability following George Floyd's murder. U officials agreed to several of the recommendations from that report, including meeting regularly with Minneapolis and St. Paul authorities on public safety responses, obtaining a safety app for students and employees and outfitting UMPD officers with body cameras.

In addition, an advisory group of students, staff and faculty is being assembled to review other recommendations from the report as well as university policies about cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.

UMPD Chief Matt Clark told an editorial writer that his department of 53 officers collaborates with MPD because many of the incidents have technically occurred off-campus in Minneapolis. However, he added that his department is involved in safety strategies covering the entire U community.

Clearly, this is no time for the U to police less or collaborate less with other law enforcement agencies. A Minnesota Student Association survey of more than 2,000 students conducted last fall found that about 45% of students supported maintaining the department's size, 30% wanted more officers and only 20% said there should be fewer.

UMPD reports that violent crime has been relatively flat in recent years, with about 12 incidents per year. However, the U's Office for Off-Campus Living says that in May alone, there were 15 robberies, 15 car thefts and 11 aggravated assaults reported in Marcy-Holmes. In many of the recent robberies, suspects had firearms and assaulted victims.

In addition to the law enforcement efforts, U staff, students and neighbors should stay informed about crime on and near campus. They can get that information on the U police website along with safety tips.

The University of Minnesota has a vibrant urban main campus. But if safety continues to be a concern, it will be more difficult to sell the U to prospective students and their families. The university is a statewide asset that must be protected.