November 21, 2002 - In the two weeks after Halloween, three college men disappeared - Christopher Jenkins from Minneapolis; Josh Guimond from Collegeville; and Michael Noll of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Around the same time, Erika Dalquist, a 21-year-old woman in Brainerd, failed to show up for work, and has not been seen since. Despite constant media exposure and massive search efforts, all four are still missing, and authorities are still waiting for the one tip or stroke of luck that might yield some answers. If the cases are linked, a break in one might solve them all. But at this point it seems just as likely all four are only connected by a tragic coincidence.
November 27, 2002 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak about Tyesha Edwards shooting. Two men, ages 21 and 23, are in custody in connection with the shooting.
May 1, 2003 - MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki reports on the Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that police must suspect a motorist has committed a particular crime before asking for consent to search a vehicle following a routine traffic stop. Len Castro, Hennepin County's Chief Public Defender had argued such search requests were racial profiling tools. Justice Alan Page wrote for the court’s majority decision. Report also includes commentary from Pete Cahill, Assistant Hennepin County attorney; and Rev Albert Gallmon, president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP.
May 26, 2003 - Recent shootings in a north Minneapolis neighborhood are testing the resolve of its residents. Some neighbors are formulating new ideas of how they can keep crime and hopelessness from taking over the Jordan neighborhood. But at the same time, some have admitted that the shootings illustrate how little has changed and say they are considering moving out.
July 2, 2003 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews R.T. Rybak, Mayor of Minneapolis, on hiring a new police chief. The city of Minneapolis is beginning the process of hiring a police chief to replace Robert Olson. Mayor Rybak says Olson is planning to retire when his term expires in January, and that City Coordinator John Moyer is now taking preliminary steps in the search for a new chief.
August 27, 2003 - Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak says he wants a police chief who keeps city streets safe, but also holds officers accountable and can be creative with the department's complex budget. Rybak makes his comments as the search for a replacement for Police Chief Robert Olson gets started in earnest.
September 24, 2003 - New research concludes that racial profiling is practiced by law enforcement agencies around the state of Minnesota. Today the Council on Crime and Justice and the Institute on Race and Poverty released an analysis of a year's worth of traffic stop data collected from 65 law enforcement jurisdictions. They found that in 2002 people of color were more likely to be stopped and searched by police officers than white drivers. However, state public safety officials say they're not convinced the data proves conclusively that law enforcement agents are targeting African Americans and other minorities.
October 7, 2003 - In the last five years a growing number of law enforcement agencies across the country have begun investigating claims of racial profiling. They've begun by collecting data on police stops. In many cities, the collection has led to open discussions about race and the role race plays in police work. State public safety officials say they hope the racial disparities outlined in Minnesota's traffic stop data can be used to open discussions here. However some say data collection is but a first step in a long process of building trust between police and communities of color.
October 15, 2003 - Federal officials are investigating allegations two Minneapolis police officers were involved in the assault of a suspect earlier this week while serving a search warrant. Police officials revealed late yesterday the FBI is looking into the suspect's allegations. The two officers have been suspended with pay while the investigation proceeds.
October 15, 2003 - Community activists in Minneapolis expressed outrage today over allegations of police brutality by Minneapolis police officers. Minneapolis police have asked the FBI to investigate the allegation. Members of groups which represent several communities of color say they believe an African American male suspect was sexually assaulted while in custody Monday afternoon. The activists are demanding a federal civil rights investigation of the Minneapolis department.