BCA, State Patrol Providing Added Patrols, Investigation to Minneapolis PD
The State Patrol and Minnesota BCA are teaming up with Minneapolis police in addressing continued violent crime, adding visible patrols in the city and additional investigative resources.
The effort is in response to a significant rise in gun-related crimes, carjackings and other violent crimes, the Department of Public Safety said Wednesday.
“Minneapolis Mayor Frey and Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Amelia Huffman have asked the state for assistance,” DPS Commissioner John Harrington said. “In these dire and urgent times, we all need to work together to keep our communities safe.”
The BCA in early April created and deployed a violent crime response team to pursue known suspects in homicides, shootings and other gun-related crimes.
The response team also locates subjects with felony warrants related to violent criminal activity and aims to disrupt the surge in carjackings, aggravated assaults and robberies in Minneapolis and surrounding communities.
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The BCA team is made up of specialized personnel who are temporarily diverted from other casework to assist in investigations through the summer months. If no further funding is allocated by the state Legislature, those members will return to their prior assignments in September.
The BCA has also dedicated additional and expanded forensic science services to violent crime investigations for the city of Minneapolis and surrounding area. Those services are in the areas of DNA analysis, firearms analysis and crime scene response services.
The DNA section has logged more than 800 hours of overtime (from existing BCA funds) in the first quarter of this year to address the backlog of violent crime cases requiring DNA analysis. This effort along with some staff reassignments has helped decrease that backlog by more than 1,200 cases, DPS said.
“Communities across Minnesota have indicated that addressing violent crime is a top concern,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “Right now, Minneapolis is seeing a significant rise in violent crime while at the same time its police department is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of officers and investigators. The BCA is bringing state resources and expertise to help these communities to meet this urgent need.”
The Minnesota State Patrol announced that it will begin a visible patrol operation in Minneapolis to assist the Minneapolis Police Department in covering “high crime areas” in the city.
“The Minneapolis Police Department has requested that we help by providing high visibility patrols in designated areas in Minneapolis,” State Patrol Chief Colonel Matt Langer said. “We will provide additional patrols three days a week in areas specified by the City of Minneapolis.”
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Beginning May 5, the State Patrol will assign four troopers in two squad cars to conduct high visibility patrols in designated areas of the city. State troopers will not be responding to 911 calls, but will coordinate with MPD officers on work that originates out of these patrols, DPS said.
The city is reimbursing the State Patrol for all expenses related to the patrols.
The Patrol will also continue its Highway Enforcement for Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) speed reduction program and continue an emphasis in various metro cities on stopping street racing.
“It is with great appreciation that we welcome the work by the women and men of the State Patrol and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as we partner to increase safety for our residents, our businesses, and in the city’s streets,” said Minneapolis Interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman.
“It is through partnerships like this and with the help of our community members that we can most effectively help bring peace to our city. We achieve better results for our community when we share resources and information and coordinate our efforts,” Huffman said.
Last week, Governor Tim Walz allocated $4 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds towards the state’s public safety efforts and to be used by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to combat violent crime, provide air support and support victims of crime.
The BCA will receive $1 million of those funds to combat violent crime, DPS said. These funds will expand the BCA’s ability to deliver investigative, analytical, and forensic support to the state’s criminal justice community. These funds will also increase current capacity for forensic firearms analysis to address an increase in evidence being submitted to the BCA from violent crimes committed across Minnesota.
Another $1 million will go towards supporting the Minnesota State Patrol’s Aviation Section as part of DPS Violent Crime Intervention initiative. This $1 million will provide additional aviation support to assist local agencies. The State Patrol Aviation Section supports ground units with searches, follows fleeing vehicles from the air, and provides real-time, specific information for suspect apprehension, DPS said.
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