Nov

21

Crime and Safety Meeting Minutes 11/20/07

Filed Under crime, meeting notes 

Kingfield Crime and Safety Meeting
Tuesday, November 20
7-8:30pm
MLK Park

Attendance
Kingfield Residents- 10
MLK Park Staff:
MPD- CPS Tom Thompson; Lt Marie Przynski
Fifth Precinct Community Attorney- Lisa Goden
Crime and Safety Task Force Board Representative- Absent
KFNA Staff- Joanna S. Hallstrom, Project Organizer

Announcements:
CPaS decided to meet in December, in the past the group has taken a recess this month.

Open Forum Issues of Concern:

1) A resident from 44th and Grand Ave. expressed concerns about loitering at bus stops especially on Nicollet and 46th and along Nicollet throughout Kingfield. This resident has a daughter that works around 46th and Nicollet and walks home after her pm shift. The daughter does not feel safe. Recently this young woman was followed at a distance to her home by a man that had been loitering at a 46th and Nicollet bus stop.

Should you call 911 if you think you are being followed, but have not proof that the person is intending to do anything?
Yes, absolutely. If you think you are in danger and your “gut” tells you that something is wrong call 911.

How can we stop people from loitering at bus stops?
Residents can call in a specious person hanging out at a bus stop. Sign to look for include: an individual hanging out at a bus stop for an extended period of time without utilizing the bus service / seeing that person flagging down cars / seeing hand to hand transactions.

Lt Marie Przynski, will put a call into the transit police to request an increase in patrolling around 46th and Nicollet and the KFNA Nicollet corridor. She will also notify the CRT team of the pm loitering at bus stops along Nicollet.

Can Metro Transit deny people a bus ride?
Yes. The bus company can have no trespassing order against an individual for being aggressive or disruptive with other passengers. The trespassing order is usually 30-days but can be extended to one year depending on the offense.

2) A male resident from 36th and Blaisdell Ave. reported that he had been robbed in the alley between Blaisdell and Pillsbury Ave. at 36th street. The robbers took his cell phone from his belt but he actually chased them away.

As robbery and burglary continue to be a main problem in South Mpls, there is concern that there are very little consequences for this type of behavior and that the light consequences only encourage more criminal activity.

Neighborhood Crime Reports: CPS Tom Thompson; Lt Marie Przynski
Thompson and Przynski reported that crime is down overall in Sector 2 by 3%. Lt. will email the official Neighborhood Policing Plan to KFNA that will include KFNA specific stats. She believes that crime is down overall in KNA by 14%

Overall crime is down however, burglaries are up precinct wide. 70% of burglaries were from unlocked windows and doors. The Lt. stressed that these are crimes of opportunity and that most of them can be prevented by residents properly locking their windows and doors (even then they are home) and not leaving expensive items and purses and wallets in view from windows. This goes for cars too.

There was a burglary on 36th and 1st Ave. and also on 37th and 1st Ave. recently. The burglars entered occupied homes at around 5am. The residents of one household woke up and turned on a light. The burglar fled.

The Lt. reminded residents to take extra precautions with the holidays. She strongly encouraged people not to put their Christmas presents under the tree until Christmas Eve. She also strongly encouraged people to cut down packaging from expensive gifts (i.e. TV, computer etc) and recycle it in a way that it does not advertise the new items that are now “available” in your home.

Crime Prevention and Safety Strategies to Discuss:
1) Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation (PCNF) Proposed Development at 3700 Nicollet Ave.

Tom Parent, Chair of the Kingfield Redevelopment Committee summarized the PCNF project to the Task Force and outlined how community feedback will be collected by KFNA. PCNF has proposed a three story mixed use building that will include 42 efficiency units for youth at risk of homelessness ages 16-22. The lower level of the development will include retail and office space. On site youth support services will be provided by YouthLink.

The Kingfield Redevelopment Committee, with KFNA board approval will be the main point of contact and communication for this project. Residents that come to CPaS and express concerns about the project will be asked to fill out a comment card that will be submitted to the Redevelopment Committee. Parent made is very clear that KFNA is in the process of collecting community feedback and is taking the concerns that residents are bringing forth very seriously. He also stated that KFNA has not made a decision to in support of or against the project at this point. He invited people to attend the redevelopment meetings which are held on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 7pm at MLK Park.

Parent reported that PCNF had a meeting with CPS Tom Thompson and Lt. Przynski.
Thompson and Przynski expressed the following concerns from that meeting:
-They do not feel that it is a good model to mix minors with adults (16-22)
-It is not clear if or how police will be notified of drinking, drug, sexual relationship violations.
-At this point, PCNF is not willing to release the names of residents living at their properties for the police to do criminal checks on.

2) Update on resident initiatives
Michael Vanderford lead a block meeting earlier this month with the main focus of organizing the nine blocks around 41st and Baisdell and working together on some broader initiatives that include: increasing staffing at MLK park in the summer and possibly starting a MLK Park council.

The walking group continues to walk. CPaS discussed ways to increase participation and give the walkers a purpose to their walk. Ideas included:
-identify blocks without leaders and block clubs and make that block a destination for the walk. The Citizen Patrol would hand out fliers with block club information on them and talk to people.
-Do monthly theme walks like Lyndale (October costumes, November deliver thank you cards etc).
-Start an exercise campaign around walking
-Start a dog walking group/s
-call Steven’s Square for info about their walking group.

3) Education residents on 911
CPaS discussed how many residents still are uncomfortable with calling 911 to report suspicious activity and are working on how to educate people better. It was felt that a mailing would not be effective. CPaS is willing to continue to train each new group of residents that come to meetings with their concerns.

4) Develop an MLK Park Council
Since this is an idea also with the Vanderford group CPaS will support their efforts in this initiative.

5) Schedule civilian training on local gangs. Lt. Przynski will organize this with Hallstrom. CPaS decided that a Saturday in January would be the best time.

Other Tasks:
Lt Przynski will send KFNA a copy of the MPD’s communication policy and follow-up with the August park shooting case.

Tri Neighborhood Court Watch Program:
Hallstrom reported that there is another person (from the Vanderford group) interested in participating in this program.

Minutes completed by Joanna Hallstrom, Project Organizer – KFNA

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