The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety and Transportation Committees will be hosting an informational hearing on the escalation of violent crime in Minnesota this Thursday. In response, the lead DFL members on the respective committees, Senator Ron Latz (DFL – St. Louis Park) and Senator Scott Dibble (DFL – Minneapolis) issued the following statement:
“The upcoming hearing is just the latest effort by Senate Republicans to play politics instead of taking meaningful action to address the real issues facing Minnesotans. We need to consider Minnesota’s recent uptick in crime within the context of a nationwide increase in crime, which is the result of a wide array of factors beyond just the number of cops on the street.
“Every Minnesotan deserves to feel safe and secure in their community, and we must recognize that law enforcement alone cannot create public safety. In addition to robust enforcement, to prevent crime, we need to focus on specific crime prevention initiatives such as reducing the number of guns on the streets and rebuilding community faith in police, as well as community-centered investments such as housing, economic opportunity, and community resources that provide stability and support for Minnesotans.”