Ask the Chief

I often have conversations with people regarding the state of policing in Minnesota and what my thoughts are on the subject. I try to avoid getting into debates as most people have strongly held beliefs but there are a few things I think we can all agree on. If you agree with the following, please contact your state representative and voice your concerns.
First - Minnesota must invest heavily in the recruitment and retention of police officers, correctional officers, and dispatchers. These professions are at a critical low in the number of those working in the state as well as a dramatic decrease in those going to school to become officers. Agencies that once took in 100 or more applications for a job position are struggling to get even a single applicant. Rural departments are closing and having to contract for services with Sheriff Departments. Jails are facing critical staffing issues that could result in closures or reduce the number of people they can hold. The quality of the applicants has also fallen as the best and brightest see law enforcement as too risky with too little benefit and choose to pursue careers in more profitable and safer professions.
Second - Minnesota needs to significantly increase Local Government Aid (LGA) to rural communities. LGA helps rural communities fund their communities with investments in services and development.
Third - The Minnesota Justice system and to that point the vast majority of all state government focus is metrocentric. Policies, laws, and regulations that work in the metro do not work in rural Minnesota. As it pertains to policing, whenever something bad happens in the metro, rural agencies will be impacted because of knee-jerk reactions by legislation and rule-making. This impact often comes in the form of increased training expenses, equipment needs, and liability.
I never imagined that we would be where we are today when I started going to school to become a police officer and I am worried that the next 20 years will be worse. I know it may seem like a futile effort to call our state representatives but your voice does matter and the representatives I know, do care.