January 24, 2001 - Later today, the St. Paul City Council will meet with St. Paul police chief William Finney to discuss racial profiling. Two weeks ago, the police department released preliminary data on who officers stop on the streets. The data showed that African-Americans and Latinos were more likely to be stopped, AND more likely to be searched, than whites. Joining us on the line is St. Paul City Council member Jerry Blakey, who represents Ward One, just to the west of downtown St. Paul.
January 25, 2001 - Police and city staff members in Saint Paul will develop recommendations over the next few weeks as to how the city should analyze racial profiling statistics the police department has been keeping since last spring. The city council met with police chief Bill Finney yesterday and asked him to return in a month with specific suggestions for how the numbers should be analyzed.
January 29, 2001 - Two notable tragedies last year in which people struggling with mental illness were shot and killed by Minneapolis police, have prompted the department to consider key changes in training. A bill scheduled to be introduced this week would help bring those changes about.
February 14, 2001 - Much of the discussion about racial profiling has centered around the Twin Cities metro area-- but some police officials in outstate Minnesota are also thinking about the issue. Mike Comiskey is the police chief in Worthington, Minnesota, and he's on the line now.
March 19, 2001 - St. Paul NAACP President Nathaniel Khaliq. He will be meeting with St. Paul police officials today at 1:00.
March 20, 2001 - Civil rights leaders and members of the St. Paul Police department met Monday afternoon with a federal mediator to discuss racial profiling. The parties involved in the discussion say the talk was productive and that further meetings are expected. However, neither side is revealing any details about what was discussed.
April 18, 2001 - All Things Considered’s Lorna Benson interviews State Patrol Chief Anne Beers about overtime being offered in fulfilling security of the governor. Some of Jesse Ventura's State Patrol security officers are earning nearly as much per year as the governor.
April 25, 2001 - MPR’s Art Hughes reports on first public forum of three mayoral candidates. Affordable housing, downtown development and policing issues are among the main topics debated by the three candidates for Minneapolis mayor who are vying for the DFL endorsement. Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton debated challengers Lisa McDonald, Minneapolis City Council member; and R.T. Rybak, community activist/internet consultant.
May 18, 2001 - With just four days to go until Legislators are required to adjourn, there is a lot left to do. There is still no agreement on major spending bills. Other issues are also far from being settled. The House and Senate have passed bills dealing with racial profiling, but a long meeting yesterday failed to produce a compromise. St. Paul NAACP President Nathaniel Khaliq has been in on the negotiations. He likes the Senate bill because it includes money to buy video cameras for squad cars.
June 12, 2001 - One year after a fatal shooting of a mentally ill woman by Minneapolis police, friends and activists are working to keep Barbara Schneider's name alive. The shooting prompted the department to review how police respond to mental health crises. Mental health professionals and others say the effort hasn't gone far enough.