Thank you, Mike six minutes, and I'll past 11. And good morning. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary I can glad you could join us about tonight is National Night Out when people around Minnesota and around the country are encouraged to get out and meet their neighbors. The theory is that by acting together people can take control of their neighborhoods and help fight the crime that's destroying so many neighborhoods tonight at 8, cuz you probably heard John Raby will be hosting a special National Night Out broadcast and we hope you'll be able to tune in and participate. That's at 8 tonight mean while on this first hour of our midday program. We've been joined by the two women who are running for Hennepin County attorney. One of Minnesota's most important crime fighting positions one out of every for minnesotans live in Hennepin County. So we're talking about a lot of people and many of the most Sensational and Troublesome crimes we hear about her being committed in Hennepin County. To be a good opportunity today to focus on what the Sorry, I'm hoping to do if they get elected and we hope you'll be able to participate the shower parties in Door County attorney. She's a partner in the law firm of gray plant mooty Moody and Bennett Minnetonka attorney. Cheryl Randstad. Boss is the Republican Party endorse candidate for Hennepin County attorney. She's a partner in the rider Bennett Law Firm former president of the State Bar Association for Madison County Judge former Federal prosecutor and former Hennepin County public defender candidates for Hennepin County attorney are our guests this hour, and again, we invite you to join our conversation. If you have a question for the candidates, give us a call or Twin City area number is 227-6002 276 thousand. I'll try the Twin Cities. You can reach us toll-free, and that number is 1 800 to +422-828-227-6004. 1 800-242-2828. Thanks for coming in today preciate it. Thank you. Start off with that. Can you give us just a quick overview of what your top priority or priorities would be if you get elected Amy Klobuchar to be here on National Night Out because the idea of the community getting involved in the fight against Crime is is really one of the focuses of what I want to do when I get into the office when I talk to people all over the county and I've had Community meetings everywhere from Powderhorn Park to Brooklyn Park and people tell me that we need to get back to the simple Concept in our criminal justice system that when someone commits a crime there will be a consequence and the priorities that I have in the office are these first of all targeting the repeat in the violent offenders getting them off the streets and keep him off the streets. We've been targeted for a rest need to Target and prosecution secondly getting guns out of the hands of people that aren't supposed to have them that means convicted felons and kids third making sure there's a consequence when a kid commits a crime and Fire. Assigning lawyers by neighborhood in this really gets the idea of National Night Out building on the idea of community policing so that these attorneys are charging the cases in certain areas does not a whole lot of crime going on in the government center. It's happening in the neighborhoods. We need to connect what's happening in the government center with what's happening in our neighborhoods has to be here with you. I've had the unique opportunity during my 23 years and practice to serve the public as a defense lawyer a federal prosecutor Prosecuting drug dealers and manufacturers and felons in possession of guns as well as a judge and that's giving me a unique background and a wonderful experience to bring to the Hennepin County Attorney's position and quite frankly. That's why every law enforcement group that's endorsed for this position has endorsed me for the position including the Hennepin County Sheriff Pat McGowan. The deputy sheriff's the police Federation the Brooklyn Park police Federation. My priorities are basically fourfold. First of all to attack games guns and drugs. We have 7,000 gang members now in Hennepin County a decade ago. We had none we need to focus on ending at vicious cycle. Secondly. I want to revamp the juvenile justice system, which quite frankly offers too little and too late thirdly. I want to end Catch and Release, you know, we all live in a great state. We've got 10,000 lakes and fishing is a lot of all of us and catch and release is great to keep fish stocked in our likes but quite frankly. We got it. We've got to turn things around. We cannot keep criminals in our communities any longer and fourthly. I want to start Prosecuting property crimes burglaries are murders and rapes waiting to happen. And right now we are not Prosecuting property crimes as we need to talk to numerous law enforcement officers. Don't even present the paperwork anymore on burglaries or Auto thefts to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office because they consider what's the use when Suburban law enforcement officer shared with me that they'll pick somebody up on a probable cause on a Friday night and hold him for 36 hours and let him go without even presenting the case to the Hennepin County attorney because it's more Justice and they'll get if they were to present the paperwork and have the case declined. I think that's wrong. I think we need to send a strong message that you don't have a license to steal in Hennepin County how how serious is the crime problem now with the crime rate is understand is actually gone down and You sometimes hear any way that much of the concern over crime is is the result of sensationalist media coverage of comparable size to Minneapolis have surpassed Us in the increase in violent crime, Birmingham, Alabama and Las Vegas, Nevada juvenile crime in the past 20 years is up violent crime by juveniles is up 244% in the first quarter of this year felony crimes committed by juveniles up 30% and Hennepin County. I think that speaks volumes as to whether crime is really down. We can't just look at the murder rate. We need to look at the increased incidence of Crimes by juveniles. I've had many Minneapolis police officers told me that as high as 60% of the crimes now violent crimes are committed by juveniles. That's where we are future rests. And that's why this is such a key race for the future of our community. When you hear people talk about just looking this is a perception you have to talk to the people who are in the neighborhood who are being battered by crime like candy Sartell and neighborhood block later in North Minneapolis. These people are dealing with his day in and day out and while there has been some leveling out in the crime rate, especially with regard to the murder serious crimes. It's not acceptable and when you look at the successes across the country where they've seen more dramatic reductions in crime, you know, we don't have to reinvent the wheel at what they've done in places like New York is enforce the law down the line for some of the smaller crimes as well as the bigger crimes and in the juvenile area. There is some good work being done here in Minnesota and we can't forget that others some positive examples that we can look at tonight in National Night Out St. Louis Park, the police chief there has reduced a crime in the Meadowbrook neighborhood by 35% and he's done that by assigning Community Police working with the parents getting the kids to school. I will start To do that in the Powderhorn neighborhood. We're going to have probation officers assigned their North Minneapolis as a juvenile probation officer assigned there. And when I look at the successes what I see is this it's the people and government the prosecutors the police working directly with the communities are not expecting people to do it alone. But saying we need your help, we need you to identify when there's problems on your street and we will we will be there to work with you. What we need is a real team effort prosecutors and police working together one of the strong incentives for me getting involved as a candidate for this position quite frankly is to take the position out of politics for two decades. We've had politicians as Hennepin County attorney. I am a prosecutor. I've had experience Prosecuting felony crimes and it's time that this office rise above political sub agendas and that we have a prosecutor in the position. I want to partner with law enforcement many many of the law enforcement. Pictures are out there pounding lawn signs for me marching in parades. I have had strong strong has support by the police across the board because they felt over the course of the last 20 years that the county attorney's office has almost become adversarial to their interests. I've had many many people whether they're Suburban law enforcement airport police or Sheriff deputies or Minneapolis Police tell me that they can't do it alone. They can catch the criminals but as long as they're released as long as we've got this revolving door, as long as we don't have a prosecutor who's there with them who's there beside them? Who's there behind them to know last year and Hennepin County there were fewer than two trials for prosecuting of lawyer for attorney in the Hennepin County. Attorney's Office despite the fact there's a hundred 50 lawyers. There were a few Trials of the name of the game is plea-bargained sending cases through the system as quickly as possible. It's not accountability. We really need to have a prosecutor. The Hennepin County attorney to prosecute crime to raise the bar and burglaries on other crimes that are not being attended to have to look at the actions of a both of us in our campaigns. I have made it clear to people from the beginning and I have met with numerous people in the office that I'm not naming names of people in the office supporting me. I don't think it's appropriate because I want to go in there leave the office reduce plea Bargains increase trials and do it in a way that's not political. And another thing you can look at in our campaigns is the fact that I tried to get you to abide by some voluntary spending limits. This is an odd race. There's no spending limits in this race unlike some of the state races and I suggested $321,000 that is the amount of money that the Attorney General candidates can spend at the base level. I you turn that down in an hour. I also suggested limiting soft money from political parties. Talk about political party. If you want to talk about experience. I have been a lawyer for 13 years a partner at two major law firms. I built a major legal practice. I prosecuted criminal cases prosecuted a felony case you've worked for 4 months in the Minneapolis city attorney's office. I did that during a summer of Life School. I was in court as an assistant public defender law clerk for a summer. That's as much experience as you've had. Let's talk about the issues. That's not that's not try to create all these bogus political as a prosecutor. The public wants to do something about crime. Let's let's discuss experience and let's discuss who's been there who's been providing the leadership who's been working with the police who is try their cases who's handled grand jury investigations of the complex nature before the Federal grand jury, who's tried Federal cases who's heard cases with sign search warrants is a Hennepin County Jail. The Minneapolis Police they have faith in me. I am prepared to go for it and leave this office. And I think the issue is not our experience. We've had different experience to be sure you've not been a prosecutor for 13 years. But what we with the public has to look at is what we're going to do when we get in office and what I've been focusing on is working with the public. That's what National Night Out is about making the office more accountable to the neighborhood watch get some listeners involved here are yes, this hour are the two folks running for Hennepin County attorney. Our guests Cheryl Randstad vas the Republican Party endorse candidate Amy Klobuchar the dfl parties endorse candidate and if you'd like to join our conversation, if you have a question for the candidates, obviously one of the more important positions in Minnesota not a state position, but Hennepin County is so very big makes quite a difference who holds his job if you'd like to join our conversation got a question for the candidates 22762. 2276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 and 1st caller is not from Hennepin County. But from st. Paul J. Go ahead. I don't know which one said there was there 7000 gang members in Hennepin County. 10 years ago there was none which one I did. I'm sure I'll ran somebody you can honestly say 10 years ago a decade ago. There was no gang members. Are you totally Off Your Rocker know Mike Mike Martin, who is the head of the gang at unit for the Minneapolis Police Department? Who spend you work for Tony bowls are correct when Mike was trying to get his attention on the game, but in the last 10 years we've seen an increased incidence. We've seen the people coming from Gary Indiana and from Detroit Michigan and we see, you know games sell drugs to make their money games use guns to enforce their will and right right now recently. There was a bust in Powderhorn Park another 20 people arrested. There wasn't a single Minnesotan not a single person with a Minnesota resident. So we become a Mecca you talk to the airport police and they'll tell We've become a in the airport through which International drug dealers and Drug careers are routed because of our catch-and-release. We've got a reputation out there and it and it's it's no secret that the reputation is not one that is conducive to to safety and our communities and it's attracting and gang members and and increasing the the problems that we're seeing from them, Sure. Would you agree that most of the problems are from people who are coming here from elsewhere statistics. When you look at the number of people in the jail, the majority of them are from elsewhere, but you look at the gang issue. You have to look practically what are we going to do? Are we started the gang strike task force? I think that's a good thing. It allows us to get information from other parts of the country allows us to share information and Target law enforcement resources across the state in the county attorney's office. We have some good veteran prosecutors handling the gang members that has to continue. These are not like a game of Clue where you ask who did it to the butler the Mets. These are complicated conspiracy cases and you have to work with the gangs and have veteran prosecutor is assigned to the cases that's going to be my philosophy when I go in you have to handle these cases very seriously and and look at them not like traditional murder cases. We have to beef up the witness protection area there been some cases in Hennepin County where before Witnesses testified there were some heinous things that happened to them that has to stop we have to protect the witnesses that are going to testify in gang cases. We've seen that nationally and we need to do that in Minnesota as well. Carry, one of the things that I think it's is unique among the two candidates. I've had experience with Prosecuting conspiracies in federal court. I've had experience with the grand jury proceeding which has been underutilized if you'd Eliza it all in Hennepin County for the past two decades the grand jury is a way to really get proactive on a on a crime reduction basis right now. We have a lot of straw purchasers who are buying guns legally either. And the end of giving them to kids giving them to felons and those are the people we need to go after and that's how we need to get it the gang members of my opponents never worked with a grand jury. She's never handled the conspiracy case. Those are complicated. They take sometimes years. I had ongoing grand jury investigations that spanned the course of years when I was a federal prosecutor. This is not this is not something that can be overlooked as it as a useful tool in the Hennepin County Attorney's Office that a prosecutor who has prosecutorial experience can use to focus on reducing crime and a proactive way. There are a hundred 50 lawyers in the county attorney's office half of them prosecute crying the other half protect the County's pocketbook by representing the county and lawsuits bringing lawsuits on behalf of the county. I might experience is Broad. I have managed multimillion-dollar cases. I've acted as an advocate in my legal career taking on large multimillion-dollar cases winning cases and I built a major legal practice and I've done that by winning cases by responding to my clients and by managing the people in the work, right the lawyers directory leashes a Lobby Cheryl if I could finish I have also prosecuted criminal cases for the City of Minneapolis, and I have one every case I had and I believe that that brought experience when you take that into the office is what we need. We need someone who's willing to challenge. Thanks take on the judges someone who's not a member of the courthouse Club who's who's going to sit there and make sure that the public has me information about when the judge Are departing from sentences? That's what I've done in my life. I've been an advocate. I taken on the insurance industry on behalf of new moms and their babies and make sure that we got a two day Hospital stay I taken on cases on behalf of my client and I'm going to take on the criminal justice system on behalf of the public. Martindale-hubbell is Nashville lawyers directory and I just had the occasion to look at my opponents listing it listed her as a lobbyist. And I know that she's been to tell us telecommunications lobbyists. I think I think the point that she raises about winning every case. She's tried. I think she tried 6 misdemeanors Witcher DWI and and petty theft and you know, I mean that's an indication of the lack of experience because you don't keep track of the cases that you wouldn't we need to try cases. We need to not be concerned about winning every case. That's the problem right now. That's why plea Bargains are the name of the game because people are not crying the cases that need to be tried and that's an indication of the lack of experience. My opponent has you don't keep track if you've had it a law. Trial record. You don't keep track of every case that you've you've one and only try the cases that you're going to win. You try the cases that need to be tried and it's not about ego and it's not about that win loss records back to the phones David. You're a question. Please sentences as required by law and the one of your guests to mention it to the police and prosecutors are members of a team, but the judges are also members of that team and and what what's the attorney's office to do when judges won't even impose the minimum sentences as required. This is infuriating. I agree to spend on all three sides of the Criminal Case. I've had the unique opportunity to see that Justice only works when we've got a strong prosecutor a strong defense lawyer and a strong judge your right last year and Hennepin. Tony 78% of the level two aggravated assault sets assault with a weapon who should have done time did none 42% of the first degree drug offenders. Those are major sellers. That's the worst level of drug-dealing that you can find who should have done 86 months according to the sentencing guidelines did none but you know in order to have plea Bargains, you've got to have the prosecutor agreeing to it. And what I want to do as a prosecutor is raise the bar. I don't want to have those plea Bargains go through that don't hold the people were committed committing the crimes accountable and as a prosecutor with experience. I know that you may end up trying a few more cases initially by raising the bar and by cutting down on plea Bargains, but eventually send the message and your credibility goes a long way the federal prosecutor when I limited plea Bargains and and people knew I was willing to go to trial on those felony cases. Eventually people would plead to the charges. Because of my credibility and that's what I intend to do is Hennepin County attorney. People ask me all the time. What can we do about Judges that are departing from the sentences and I always say to them at the County Attorney camps always take fire judges. The public has to do so if there are particular judges and I do say there are many good judges in Hennepin County and we have to remember that going in but their judges that are consistently departing from sentences who are not accountable to the public that information has to get out there. First of all, we have to start with the information system in the county. There are multiple different computer systems in the county judges have one county attorney's office has to probation has one. They don't always hook up. This makes it very difficult to prosecute cases and to get the job done. But it also makes it difficult to get the information out there to the public. I want to change that and be a leader on that and then secondly the County Attorney can take a leadership role and getting the information out to the public. Something I've wondered about oftentimes you here on these particularly heinous crimes the nasty ones. These people are referred for federal prosecution because the federal eyes are tougher apparently should we have tougher laws against violent crime are in Minnesota Brasa Gators offense is charging the cases and drying the cases. I've had a number of people in the FBI share with me their frustration as well as in the in the drug enforcement area and the game prosecution. Are you saying that the federal resources are being depleted and drained because Hennepin County isn't doing the prosecution's that they ought to be in it's spelling over to the federal system. There's a classic case of the fellow who is arrested terrorizing the Minneapolis Community running 8 crack houses, and when he was arrested he had an ankle bracelet on because he was still part of the Hennepin County court system going through the system. So they took him Federer. Because that was the only place they could get any accountability same with gun charges are at the gun charges being brought in the county at the county level. So they're taking him federally where they can get the charges are and get the cases tried, but it's it's not by choice of the it's and it's not because the laws are tougher. It's because of the enforcement of the laws are there are about 40 lawyers over at the attorney's office. The county attorney's office has 7075 Prosecuting crime the way the jurisdiction works. You do want some of those big drug cases where he want to really go after someone to go in the US attorney's office. I don't have a problem with that. I want to work with other agencies of government that I don't think people out in the neighborhoods care who prosecutes the crime whether it be a City attorney or County attorney or us attorney. They just want to get the job done. But the fact remains is this is that a number that cases will be handled by the county attorney's office. They should be handled by the county attorney's office. And those are the cases that we have to make sure. The people in the neighborhoods that public people in the communities are getting the consequences that they need to go on with their lives. I'm run for this office because I care about this community. I grew up out in Plymouth and I live in Minneapolis now with my husband and my three-year-old daughter and I want her to have a kind of life that I did. She should be able to walk three blocks to our neighborhood school and park without fear and keep your window open on a hot summer night. Classic as to how the leadership has been lacking is when and praznik was was tragically I found last, you know on the Phillips neighborhood and I was over at the community meeting that night in the Phillips neighborhood in and so was the US attorney and so was the the head of the 3rd Precinct Hennepin County attorney wasn't there there was no assistant Hennepin County attorney that are my opponent wasn't there. It's at proactive connection with the community that the US attorney's office has filled a void and it's my intent is Hennepin County attorney to really connect with the commune. Stay at that level to be there for them to work with them. I've been over to the Sabathani Community Center. They've never seen the County Attorney over there. I've been at opening doors that have never been open before with the African-American Community. We need to approach crime proactively and before we're in a crisis situation, so I care very deeply about the future of our community. I have three children. I represent to the adoption agency that has Children's Home Society of Minnesota and I am vitally concerned about her future. I'm a very active with YMCA and vice president of the YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis. I've given a lot when I was president of the State Bar I launch the lawyers for literacy campaign that focused on trying to give young people those basic tools because there's a high correlation between the lack of literacy and involvement in crime and there's a high correlation between people who are finding you know, who am I who have Fitted crimes who don't complete high school. And so one of the things I tried to do is present of the State Bar was focus on a preventive approach and it's it's now I'm pleased to say at been washed throughout the state and 15,000 lawyers are involved in that effort. Let's let's take a break here. I'll get some more callers on the line. We're talking this hour with the candidates for Hennepin County attorney. Dear Valerie. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Cheryl Randstad boss. And again, if you'd like to join our conversation, if you have a question for the can of semi give you the number you might want to wait for a couple minutes ago, cuz all of our lines are busy gets more callers here and get some more questions on the air to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828. Country Music & camping have turn Minnesota's we Fest in one of the biggest outdoor music festivals in the country by Rachael Ray be inviting you to join us for a special Main Street radio broadcast live from we Fest in Detroit Lakes law also be talking about personal watercraft the most controversial floating device on Minnesota lakes Friday at 11 on Minnesota Public Radio k n o w FM 91.1 in the Twin Cities. Programming a Minnesota Public Radio is supported by Ecolab supplier of cleaning and sanitizing products and services weather forecast for the state of Minnesota to chance for some more rain, especially in Southern and Eastern Minnesota partly. Sunny skies in the Northwest highest today mid-60s to the mid-70s, maybe an 80-degree reading in the Red River Valley Twin Cities scattered showers with a high in the low 70s right now. It's in the upper sixties 69 degrees and cloudy in the Twin Cities. Lots of callers on the line with the questions for Amy Klobuchar and Cheryl ramstad, boss the candidates for Hennepin County attorney Steve. Go ahead. Please comment or question which one of your guests indicated that property crimes were rapes and murders ready to happen. I did Cheryl Cheryl. When would Michael Milken and Charles Keating be committing their rape or murder? Well, you raise the issue of white collar crime, which quite frankly I was very intent on Prosecuting when I was a federal prosecutor. Those cases are also not being brought. I just got a letter from a businessman in Downtown Minneapolis who heard me speaking at a rotary club and gave me copies of the correspondence. He was bilked out of $60,000 and a scam with somebody who had committed a similar act previously and the case was declined. So you're right. There are white collar crimes. There are crimes of fraud that also need to be prosecuted as well as the burglaries which which are quite frankly. I've talked to too many people and elderly in particular feel very vulnerable. I talk to a woman recently and victory Memorial area who walked in after mowing her lawn and her house had been burglarized while she was in her yard, and those people are frightened. They're frightened to go back home from the ice cream socials in broad daylight. And they're afraid because if they walk in on a burglary in progress, I talk to another man who took his two kids to the Dairy Queen and by the time we got back an hour later and South Minneapolis is house have been burglarized and they know that if they walk in and interrupt somebody that they may be the victims of a violent crime and they're scared of you this question. If you were to exclude the handful of of really rough neighborhoods in Hennepin County. Is there a much of a crime problem in Hennepin County mean obviously, there are parts of Minneapolis where things are pretty tough, but some of the inner ring suburbs, but if you exclude those neighborhoods are we talking about much of a crime problem marcy-holmes neighborhood isn't a particularly rough neighborhood, but we just in the last few weeks had two murders just four blocks from my house. So I think that you can look at neighborhood the first of all sporadic Crime can happen anywhere drive by shooting those kinds of crimes and the juvenile crime is is happening everywhere. And that's a concern for everyone in this County. And even though I think we'd be kidding ourselves. If we didn't say there are pockets of crime. There are pockets of crime in and we need to focus resources on there are on those areas, but other areas in the county have concerns as well and what we need to do and why we're here today on National Night Out is talk about how we can prevent those crimes a lot of its keeping kids in school. Number one indicator of crime and boys is truancy the other part is bonding together as neighbors and I have heard some heartwarming stories across the county and I think many people of your listeners know that are in neighborhood groups of people working together to prevent crime by working with family. So I know why my neighborhood where I live there was a man named. Mr. Erickson. This is where I live for years ago and he would watch the kids on our block and when my husband and I got married we had our pictures taken outside of our house and we had the kid. Across the street do chalk drawings in front and mr. Erickson came out and thought those kids weren't supposed to be there cuz he's always watching out for him and he brought a hose out and he started hosing the chalk down. So it was flying up all over my dress and mr. Erickson was watching those kids. I said miss your hugs and we want the kids there today and it's people like mr. Erickson that we need and every neighborhood that are watching out for things. And so when you ask how do you look at the crime in all over the county? You got to look at it as yester's Pockets, but everyone in the county should be concerned and should be looking at ways to prevent it from coming into their own areas and by looking at proactively how we can work with kids so they don't go down the path of crime. Let me share with you Gary Miah experiencing in the mayor of the Excelsior who's Steve fancher's endorse me shared with me his frustration. They had 12 burglaries in downtown Excelsior. He showed me the gang graffiti on the walls of the buildings out there just as the mayor of Eden Prairie Gene Harris who's also supporting me. In an honorary chair of my campaign shirt with me the concern that they have gang graffiti. I live in Minnetonka where we've had Gang Related crimes over the Ridgedale Mall. We've had the armed robberies within blocks of of the the residential area just a few weeks ago. There was a girl shot in the leg because she was caught in a in a yellow in in an area where she was walking home from a birthday party 13 year old girl, and she was walking home with a group of other girls at 6:30 on a Sunday evening. And is Mike Martin told her family. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was a gang member who just happened to be walking by and it was a gang area that was marked by a different color than the Hat he had on and a car drove by and shot her in the lake. So it's not just a problem in this inner city. It's a problem pervasive throughout Hennepin County and I think I think while it's it's Still time to be able to turn things around. We really need to focus on this problem throughout Hennepin County because nowhere is exempt morning and I appreciate the opportunity to speak. I'm from Bemidji. And when I spend my Recreation time, I usually go to the city and I've had three friends in the North Minneapolis area basically had to move away and if I remember correctly one of them actually had to get Riot insurance and what I'm scared about is that I don't feel comfortable going to North Minneapolis anymore. And I have chosen to go other places to spend my money because it's not safe two of my friends were robbed one day and the next day the same guy came true that they were in a different car and tried to Rob them again, and it's it's sad to be accosted on the Street in Minneapolis. And you know where we going to go if we can't Go to the cities for recreation agree with you completely. We need to start putting fear in the hearts of criminals not fear in the hearts of law-abiding citizens because we're actually feeling in prison dinner around neighborhoods and that's wrong and that include them concealed weapons the right to carry a concealed weapon. We have a lot right now that leaves the discretion at the local level for law enforcement officers to be able to give discretionary permits two people to carry weapons. I've asked my opponent on various occasions of two supports the current law which I do and I've never heard Hurst make a statement in the 40 beats that we've had as to whether she supports the current law. I think we need at the local level where local law enforcement really knows the issues. They know the concerns they're accessible to the local residents in the end. They have the discretion to issue those permit. Sure. We were on Almanac just a week or two ago and a lot of people saw that I hope a lot of listeners side because on that program I asked you to take a position. But I didn't let me finish here. You said we needed a new study. That's why you said you said we needed was a demagoguery. Let's talk about your position. If I could answer that. I have always taken a strong position from our first debate that I am not in favor of expanding the the concealed handgun supper question. The question is favored the current concealed carry Cheryl permits. Do you favor the Scranton statute? I hear you. Yes or no. We both do two tapes. I've always taken a consistent position. You have just changed yours. I'm going to be a leader but not put my finger up in the wind to see which way it's blowing. I believe we need to get guns out of the streets and let him go. Who is this first noticed Target Target to people who are who are selling guns to kids and make sure they're prosecuted secondly hold adults accountable. I believe that we should require safety locks on guns. I believe we should do things to hold adults accountable by prosecute them if they are not keeping their gun safe from kids and third holding the kids accountable when they have guns and that is why I support the program at church Stanek hasn't place where kids are given a choice go through the Juvenile Detention Center or take a very intensive gun education class where they have to go to the hospital see people that are shot up by guns where they have to meet with the parents of kids and meet with other people that have been shot by guns killed by guns their parents their loved ones and it's made a dramatic difference recidivism rate so far 12% for the kids that have gone to that program 65% for those that haven't there you go again, Program what about the recidivism rate their Amy? Let's look at the recidivism rate. Let's not play the numbers game. It's easy to look at the at the all the positive but let's really consider the effectiveness in the effectiveness. I think is really in question. So we again need to send a different message to young people. We need to have juveniles held accountable and we need immediate accountability right now. It's taking a 11 month for juveniles who are committing juvenile acts to get through the system. That is too long. It's too little and it's too late. We need to work with families. We need to work with parents. We need to work with the community. We need to work with law enforcement. We need it for court studded Reagan kids out of school in the in the school day. What kind of a message does that send to send them down to juvenile court. Let's focus on using the community resources that we have for a 4-quart to really make the focus be the first time in the Juvenile Justice. The system is the last time out. That's my goal. I just want to clarify again on this because there is an effort underway at the state level 2 pass to change the law. So it would be the presumption would be people would be allowed to carry a concealed weapon unless they have any other convicted criminals or something. Would you like to see the law changed to that in that way or no? I would not like to see the law change philosophically. I have a problem with removing discretion from the local level. I think that the discussion needs to remain at the local level work now is Dustin your question Place discount news from nice neighborhoods in there. And I don't really understand the problems of the ghetto in South Minneapolis. And I think that they're using hysteria saying the crime rate is increasing despite the fact that is decreasing to get the the white the bridge. Both said that they need cuz I still support quick question here. I am trying very hard to mobilize the communities of color because I've been to DC on a very small portion. I need to go to the ghetto and you actually ask people randomly the police or do you feel scared of them and they're scared because they call CEO charged and that's exactly right. That's why we need to work on building those communication channels proactively. That's why we that's why I've gone to the Sabathani Center in the Richard green Center and they and the communities the group's you too. In fact brutalize. I'm the black populations in South Minneapolis. Cuz right now the Civil review board isn't exactly doing a great job special prosecutor to look into allegations of police brutality. Have to be in force uniformly against all citizens and those cases if a lot a fellow officer commits a crime he should be prosecuted or she should be prosecuted and that's the job of the county attorney's office. If it's a felony level crime. I do support civilian review processes were aware of those kinds of Acts can be looked at and we need to have the citizens having faith in law enforcement and I believe there are so many good officers out there that I've talked with him and worked with and and gotten ideas from for my campaign. But me and no I think that I would also like to add because she responded there was that on his first issue is that I do live in Minneapolis. I'm the one that lives a few blocks from where they were two murders just recently I understand what's going on in the in the crime areas and I don't believe that by talking about the crime problem you're necessarily inciting people and trying to get To be hysterical because I'm the one here that has cited many good examples of what's going on and I'm looking at Solutions. I'm looking at ideas and that's what I want to bring in because there's a lot of good ideas that have been working a classic country. We have to bring those into the county and I see a lot of Hope out there show Randstad boss special prosecutor to look into allegations of police brutality. I strongly believe that the laws need to be enforced against people who are violating them irrespective of what position they hold their respective what color their skin is or what Creed? I think that the county attorney's office needs to enforce the law in partially without regard and if a law enforcement officer is violating the lot it needs to be prosecuted. I don't think that it calls for a special prosecutor unless the circumstances warrant it again with my experience. I can I can assure you that we can't categorically decide some of these things we have to have the opportunity to look at the Particular circumstances and that's where my unique a unique experience as a former prosecutor and a former judge uniform defense lawyer gives me that balance. That's so important in that maturity level. We can't afford on-the-job-training the times don't allow for it time for at least one more call of a robin. each of the can But none of her campaign funds has come for the National Rifle Association or similar groups whether directly from such groups or indirectly through political parties. I can assure you that none of my funds have come from the National Rifle Association and I've taken positions consistently that are opposed to their positions might have not come from the National Rifle Association Sarah. I wonder what your position is on legalization of marijuana and the effect it would have been clearing. The courts for ridiculous amount of attention is given to that in the ridiculous jail sentences that are given And concentrating on the really dangerous ones like methamphetamine and crack. I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. I believe in you look across the world what's been happening people have realized that legalizing drugs is not the answer about what's happening in Hennepin County right now. There's an experiment going on with the drug court which at least for the small offenders for the addicts is working and then it's speeding things along. So some of the cases are being handled that weren't handle before they're not always going to prison many times are going to treatment and I'd like to see more and more of them out on work squads working back in the community and getting treatment to there's been some good things going on in New York where low-level offenders actually put back in the community working in the community with vests on it's a community court for the high-level offenders that are going through drug court the ones that are selling the drugs. We need to make sure that they're getting the consequences that we need and that's not always happening cuz there's a big difference between someone is selling drugs for money. And as someone who's addicted to drugs, I agree with the collar that we need to focus on the high-level drug manufacturers and sellers and that's where I think the grand jury could be a useful tool to proactively attack the drug problem. I think that the drug court needs to again. It's it's it was envisioned originally for users. It's now being used for everyone. Do we throw out the baby with the bath? No, do we look at it in a thoughtful way and try to streamline the cases that are being handled their yes. I think it's wrong that 42% of the first degree drug sellers. Those are the people who were selling the meth. Those are the people who are providing drugs to school kids. Those are the people who are out there dealing and they're not doing any time. The accountability is lacking. I think we need to really focus on that. We need to to to have a prosecutor who's committed to Prosecuting the dealers. Rosacea marijuana, I don't I don't agree with legalization of marijuana because the studies show that use of marijuana leads to use of other drugs. In fact, I've just talked to the general counsel for drugs are barry McCaffrey and have research that very issue in the studies are quite compelling. It's come back to where we started today or tonight is so National Night Out people are supposed to go out and be one with their neighbors and stuff. Is there any hard evidence that this actually makes any difference? I mean in some of the neighborhoods by the people have been just acted as all get-out and I've been very very involved and yet like in the Phillips neighborhood for example, and yet the crime rate is terrible if it was one of the leading neighborhood activists in the Phillips neighborhood actually wrote a letter to the editor commending the police chief, which I never thought would happen for some of because Jim Graham has been at odds with the police chief some of the work that's Going on in that neighborhood. I do think when you look at and it's not at all at all work is not done and I will not say that but when you look at the positive effort that have come out of our community and other communities, it is based on neighbors getting together and saying we've had enough we're going to look out for each other and I'm looking forward tonight to go to my old neighborhood block party. I think last time we a little rain we ended up drinking root beer floats inside someone's basement, but I think it's a great way to get to know your neighbors and I hope that everyone in our accounting attends our own neighborhood block party. I'm actually going to a rally right now. It's down at the idea. So Crystal Court, you'll see I have a button on my lapel. I've been wearing for National Night Out I strongly support the idea that neighbors need to get together and start talking about these issues and that we need to focus on the police and the community and the prosecutors working together on a proactive basis to we can't afford. The times will not allow us to look the other way. We need it at Minneapolis has had the 50 for the 15th year National Night Out last year. We were recognized as the second biggest National Night Out in the Country of four cities of our size. And I think that's really an indication that people are concerned about these issues and we need to continue talking and continue National Night Out is simply a culmination though. It can't just be one night. It's got to be a combination of 365 days a year. Thank you very much. I guess this are the candidates for Hennepin County. Attorney Minneapolis. Attorney Amy Klobuchar in Minnetonka. Attorney Cheryl Randstad boss and a reminder again those special National Night Out broadcast tonight at 8 here on Minnesota Public Radio John radio be along to host a program a kind of a a town meeting if you will and you don't be Courage to take your radio and your phone outside with you and I participate this evening that's coming up at 8 tonight. It's just midday on Minnesota Public Radio. Thanks to all of you who been with us a shower and will continue in just a moment nearly. Every candidate for governor has a plan to cut taxes and return money from the state budget surplus to Minnesota citizens property tax cuts income tax, sales tax reduction this week, Minnesota Public Radio news focuses on the issue of taxes and how it's being discussed in the race for the governor's office turn in all week for an in-depth look at taxes and the elect explore the issues know the candidate on Minnesota Public Radio FM 91.1 in the Twin Cities today Special Report from National Public Radio Susan stamberg on a woman named meet geese she is the woman who helped hide the Anne Frank Family actually save the Anne Frank diary. She's the last witness to that story and Susan stamberg will be along with a report on what she did what she thinks about what happened that's coming up over the noon hour today time now for The Writer's Almanac.