MINNEAPOLIS — The new public safety strategy in Minneapolis, known as "Operation Endeavor," promises to improve collaboration between law enforcement, prosecutors and community groups.
But one of the agencies most central to the plan's success — the Minneapolis Police Department — has been dealing with a severe staffing shortage for more than two years now, following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent unrest. According to the latest numbers provided by the department, only 560 sworn officers are currently serving on the force, far below the authorized strength (888), the budgeted total (756) and the total mandated by the city charter (731).
Commander Jason Case, the "architect" of the plan with MPD's Strategic Operations Division, said he's not running from the numbers. Rather, "Operation Endeavor" attacks that shortage head-on, he said, by using crime data and analytics to figure out where to devote resources.
"Everyone talks about staffing," he said at the city's news conference on Thursday. "And this is our approach in the immediate sense."
Although he did not provide specifics, Case hinted that MPD may pull officers from investigations or even the training division to respond to violent crime across the city, since the department has so many fewer officers than in years past. On Thursday, Case and new Community Safety Commissioner Dr. Cedric Alexander both emphasized "flexibility," meaning these assignments could change on a daily basis depending on where criminal activity happens.
Minneapolis Police already started some of this work over the summer. With "focused enforcement details," the department expanded coverage into areas of high crime and reported a drop in gun violence at major intersections in north and south Minneapolis. Overall, the number of shots fired calls and homicides have decreased from 2021 to 2022; however, compared to pre-pandemic levels, violent crime has soared at a rate not seen since the 1990s.
In addition to law enforcement patrols, unarmed violent interrupters with the Office of Violence Prevention will continue to canvass neighborhoods across the city, and faith leaders like Rev. Jerry McAfee of New Salem Baptist Church will remain active as well.
McAfee, one of the founders of the "21 Days of Peace Campaign" that launched last summer, said he's supportive of Operation Endeavor.
"I like how they're coming together," McAfee said, "and creating necessary synergy."
McAfee said he's working with Lisa Clemons, a former Minneapolis police officer, and leader of "A Mother's Love," to reach young people at risk of committing violent crimes in the community. His groups have long advocated for job training, mental health treatment and other resources. Much like MPD's focused enforcement details, the "21 Days of Peace" campaign placed faith leaders and community groups at troubled intersections to intervene before crime occurs.
"We've made some strides," he said, "but we're looking to make more."
Looming over the launch of Operation Endeavor is the fact that the Minneapolis Police Department still does not have a permanent police chief. Mayor Frey's office said he has interviewed the final three candidates and plans to make his selection in the coming weeks, subject to city council approval.
The person who ultimately leads MPD will be tasked with overseeing recruitment efforts, with the department needing to fill hundreds of positions.
"With regard to recruiting, that's a major initiative that is being undergone right now. We will be rolling out with a campaign. Money has been allocated, to the tune of approximately $1 million to $1.2 million, to bring in not just any officer, but those that are community oriented," Frey said. "Obviously, we have a ways to go until we're at the numbers that we need. That won't happen overnight. We recognize that. That's part of what Operation Endeavor is attacking in the immediacy, is to making sure we are deploying what resources we have, as strategically as possible."
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