February 2, 1998 - A new era of crime fighting begins this month in Minneapolis . It's similar to the strategy used by police in New York City where its credited with double-digit decreases in crime rates. The plan supplies police with daily reports of crime hotspots so they can send officers there to investigate. The plan also relies on more extensive questioning of suspects. And that feature of the strategy worries some people.
February 13, 1998 - Mainstreet Radio's Catherine Winter has this remembrance of Terry Wilkey, former Bovey police chief. Wilkey spent more than 30 years on the town's police force and the 800-some residents of Bovey all knew him. But his fame spread much farther; to the Twin Cities, even as far as Texas and North Carolina…because of Terry Wilkey, the writer.
February 23, 1998 - As part of the continuing MPR series Voices of Minnesota, a presentation of conversations with James Griffin, one of Minnesota's first Black police officers and first deputy police chief for St. Paul; and Hennepin County Judge Pamela Alexander, Minnesota's first Black female judge.
February 24, 1998 - Threats against a black Minneapolis officer, Sergeant Alisa Clemons, are being investigated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's office. Clemons won reinstatement to her police job and back pay last year after an arbitrator ruled the city wrongly accused her of sending racist hate mail. Clemons' supporters see the threats made against her last week as a continuation by officers in the police department of a campaign to force her out. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more.
February 25, 1998 - Threats against a black Minneapolis police officer, Sergeant Alisa Clemons, are being investigated by the Hennepin County Sheriff's department. Clemons won re-instatement to her police job two years ago after an arbitrator ruled the city wrongly accused her of sending racist hate mail. Clemons' supporters see the new threats made against her last week as continuation of a campaign by people in the police department to force her out. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more.
April 15, 1998 - MPR’s Bob Potter discusses CODEFOR with Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton. Since Minneapolis began its CODEFOR policing strategy in February of 1998, violent crime in the city is down 16%, property offenses are down 18%, and crimes against persons are down 12%. Sayles Belton says one key is focusing on so-called nuisance crimes.
April 20, 1998 - Angry residents along Park Avenue in Minneapolis ' Phillips want city officials to roust drug users from a neighborhood apartment building. Residents believe drug users took an elderly resident of the building hostage last week and killed her. The tragedy has demoralized many residents who see it as a continuation of the crime that has afflicted the city's poorest neighborhood for years.
May 14, 1998 - Law enforcement officials say despite some recent high-profile homicides, they're beginning to see improvements in some of Minneapolis ' toughest neighborhoods. Some neighborhood leaders say they agree, but argue that's no reason to lift the pressure on drug dealers and city officials.
July 8, 1998 - A human rights group is charging police abuse accounts for some of the most serious human rights violations in the United States. New York-based Human Rights Watch investigated complaints in 14 major cities, including Minneapolis , and found persistant police brutality in all of them. The group also found people reporting brutality face enormous barriers in seeking punishment or prosecution of officers who have committed human rights violations. Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson says his department has made considerable progress in dealing with complaints, but it's not always possible to get rid of abusive cops.
September 4, 1998 - MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports that authorities in St. Paul say they were long aware of domestic problems at the apartment where six children were apparently killed by their mother. But Chief William Finney says there was never any indication the three boys and three girls were in danger. Police arrested the 24-year-old mother after responding to her frantic call for help.