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Thank you for expressing interest in the Minneapolis Police Department's Fifth Precinct, located in Southwest Minneapolis.
We have a vibrant community with a lot to offer visitors and residents. This quarterly newsletter is our chance to give you more in depth information on our community and our section of the Police Department.
Please encourage anyone you know who may be interested to subscribe as well. It's very easy! Click the buttons below. |
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Inspector's Insights
Introduction with Inspector Todd Loining | |
Hello everyone, my name is Inspector Todd Loining. On February 1st of this year, Chief Harteau appointed me as the Inspector of the 5th precinct, and I am 100% committed to the precinct and community we protect and serve.
The Fifth Precinct is located at 3101 Nicollet Avenue South. If you are ever in need of our services, whether you need to have a police report completed or you simply need answers to questions, we staff a police officer at our front desk 24/7. We have a public parking lot located on the southwest corner of 1st Avenue South and 31st Street. Our Fifth Precinct Team consists of approximately 100 sworn and civilian staff that are all true professionals who take great pride in their work and are committed to resolving crime issues in a timely and professional manner. We are all dedicated to developing strong working relationships with the community and to gain community support and trust.
Given the current crime trends, we need your partnership more than ever. What I mean by this is: get to know your neighbors, keep an eye on your community, and please consider joining a block club or possibly becoming a block club leader.
A large part of my job involves working with the staff and the community on a continuous basis to always strive to successfully accomplish the following:
- Identify crime problems/concerns and analyze and gather information about the problem; known suspects, vehicles driven, addresses, etc.
- Strategize our efforts to provide strong proactive enforcement in areas to reduce or eliminate the crime problems.
- Identify those who are responsible and hold them accountable for their actions.
- Timely sharing and distribution of information on crime problems or incidents.
- Ensure our officers fully understand our crime-fighting mission.
- Ensure that our officers always conduct themselves in a professional manner and that we provide fair, timely, and professional service to all citizens.
- Continue strong working relationships with our City Council Member partners. Our Council Members have been outstanding to work with.
- Again, meet with the community to develop and maintain solid partnerships.
- Genuinely listen to community concerns, problems, and fears and to follow-up on the issues to resolve the problems in a timely professional manner.
On behalf of the entire Fifth Precinct Team I want to say thank you for your assistance and support as we continue to work together to make our community the safest place to live, work, and visit.
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President Obama in Fifth Precinct
Speech at Lake Harriet | |
President Barack Obama visited Minneapolis this week. Today, on Friday June 27, 2014, he gave a speech at Fifth Precinct's own Lake Harriet Band Shell. Tickets were provided for free by the White House and interested parties had to stand in line earlier this week to receive them. Thousands of people attended to see him speak.
Minneapolis Park Police Lt Rob Goodsell was the incident commander for this event because it occurred on City of Minneapolis park property. Lt Goodsell did a fantastic job organizing the entire security plan and kept everyone updated in a timely manner. Congratulations to him on his retirement, as today was his last day. Minneapolis Police Department's on-scene incident commander was Fifth Precinct Inspector Todd Loining.
Stay tuned to the news or other outlets for recaps of the President's speech. The Fifth Precinct is proud to have had the opportunity to host the President of the United States. |
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From Laos to Minneapolis, Officer of the Year, Ker Yang
Meet 5th Precinct's 2013 Officer of the Year, Ker Yang
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 | | Officer Ker Yang |
When one meets Officer Ker Yang they immediately notice his strong work ethic and great sense of humor. What one does not know is the road he traveled to get where he is today was paved with loss, adversity, hope and hard work.
Officer Yang and his late parents along with two siblings immigrated to the United States from Laos when he was ten years old. They were forced to flee Laos in 1980 to avoid persecution by the Laotian government because his father was a soldier in the clandestine forces recruited and hired by the United States Central Intelligence Agency to fight the "Secret War" in Laos during the Vietnam War. Officer Yang's family fled to Thai refugee camps and they were approved for refugee status to immigrate to the United States in 1980.
His family traversed the jungle of Laos during the night and hid during the day. During the journey they suffered the loss of friends and loved ones. They survived on plants, roots, and grubs. Officer Yang almost lost his life when he nearly drowned at the riverbank of the Mekong River, separating Laos and Thailand, when his family's hijacked canoe capsized. Life in the refugee camps was difficult and food was scarce and rationed by the United Nations.
It was a cultural shock when his family first came to the United States. Simple tasks many of us take for granted were challenges for his family that they had to overcome every day. One such instance was going to the grocery store. Officer Yang recalled how he and his father came to a four-way intersection with traffic lights on all corners, cars were speeding by and lights were changing. He and his father stood at the corner dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. Several people tried to speak to them but they didn't understand a single word of English. They walked back home with no groceries.
Officer Yang and his family eventually made it to Minneapolis, where he grew up and attended school. He went to Hale Elementary, Burroughs Elementary, Field Middle School, Folwell Junior High, and South High School. He completed his undergraduate at Gustavus Adolphus College and graduate study at Capella University. This Spring, Officer Yang received his PhD in Psychology from Capella University. Officer Yang's journey gives him a unique perspective that helps him relate to today's immigrant communities moving into Minneapolis.
Minneapolis is part of Officer Yang's childhood, and it was "a great childhood at that," he says. Officer Yang was hired by the Minneapolis Police Department in 1996 and has been giving back ever since to the community that first welcomed him and his family. Officer Yang has worked for the 5th Precinct Mid Watch since December of 2007, working Squad 530 in the Southern part of the Precinct and has become an anchor on the shift. In 2013, Officer Yang answered over 900 Calls for service, and made over 650 Stops and 30 Curfew arrests for 100 total arrests. Officer Yang was chosen by the supervisors in the 5th Precinct as the Officer of the Year.
Officer Yang considers it a privilege to work as a police officer and serve the citizens of Minneapolis. Like his parents, he displays fortitude, a positive attitude and the desire to succeed. When not at work Officer Yang likes to spend time with his three boys. They remind him of the importance and preciousness of time.
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Community Highlight: Whittier Walkers
Get involved in the community in Whittier! | |
At the Fifth Precinct, we strongly encourage resident involvement in the neighborhoods. One of the best ways is something as simple as joining a stroll patrol, which lets you combine something healthy (like taking a walk) with something community-oriented and fun (getting to know your neighbors and neighborhood while also improving the feeling of safety on your streets).
Please see below for information from Whittier Alliance (www.whittieralliance.org) on their Whittier Walkers program!
Be part of a safer neighborhood. The Whittier Walkers program is up and running!
This program is a friendly way to get to know your neighbors, contribute to a safe and livable community, and learn about safety issues in the Whittier neighborhood. After training, the volunteer Walkers will take one two hour shift at their convenience and walk the neighborhood with a partner.
There is an application process for Whittier Walkers - to pick up an application, and to learn more information about the program, email Abbie at abbie@whittieralliance.org. |
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Summer Safety
Crime prevention tips for summer | |
As we go into summer, we all want to enjoy the warm weather! This means more people leaving windows open, walking outside, doing yard work, and more. Remember to keep a few simple crime prevention tips in mind to help reduce the opportunity for crimes:
- Call 911 on suspicious activity when you see it! Trust your instincts; if something feels wrong, there is a reason for it.
- Pay attention to your surroundings! Try to avoid being on your cell, laptop, etc. while you are walking, standing at the bus stop or riding the bus.
- More personal safety tips can be found under personal safety at: http://go.usa.gov/B349
- For pedestrian safety, visit the pedestrian section at www.sharetheroadmn.org
- Home Security: Always lock your windows and doors, including your garage, even when your home or out in the yard! You can also find information under home security: go.usa.gov/B349
- Watch this video of an interview with a career burglar to find out what made him choose one house or block and not another: http://bit.ly/TffSiz (This video is from St Louis Park PD but the information is good for everyone)
- Reducing vehicle theft: Never leave valuables visible in your vehicle! If you must, put it in your trunk, BEFORE you reach your destination.
- Bike theft and safety: Always lock your bike up! U-Locks are best, whereas chains can be easily cut. Register your bike with Minneapolis for free (this is a way to record the serial number). Call 311 or visit http://go.usa.gov/BNCz
For more crime prevention tips, visit go.usa.gov/B349. To find ways to get involved, ask your Crime Prevention Specialist or check with your neighborhood association to learn about programs, events, and other opportunities near you.
In Fifth Precinct, the Crime Prevention Specialists are:
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Anatomy of a Case
Community Attorney Jennifer Saunders explains the criminal justice process | |
 | | Community Attorney Jennifer Saunders |
Have you ever witnessed a crime or called 911? Did you wonder what happened to the case after that point? One of the benefits of having a Community Attorney in each of the five Minneapolis Police Department precincts is the ability to have access to the criminal justice system from beginning to end. This allows officers and parties to know what happens in the court system and for attorneys in court to be better informed about the cases they prosecute.
A criminal prosecution begins of course with a crime. When a crime is reported to 911 or officers witness a crime they can make an arrest of a suspect, thereby starting the process.
- Officers arrest a person if they have probable cause to believe the person committed a criminal offense
- If the offense is a misdemeanor, the officers issue a citation and release the person, who will then be scheduled to appear in court a few weeks later, unless the person is unlikely to respond to a citation, continues to engage in criminal activity or is a danger to themselves or the public
- If the person is arrested and booked into the jail, they appear in court in custody for a first appearance or arraignment, otherwise they appear out of custody
- Arraignment is the first court appearance on a criminal case
- If the defendant is in custody, bail is decided
- The defendant can apply for a public defender or hire private defense council or chose to represent themselves
- If the case does not have a victim that needs to be contacted, it can resolve with a negotiation at this appearance
- Pretrial is the second court appearance on a criminal case
- The purpose of this appearance is to try and resolve the case by negotiation
- The input of any victims, criminal history and nature of the offense are all taken into consideration
- Evidentiary issues, pretrial motions or other challenges are discussed at this appearance
- Cases often require more than one pretrial appearance or an evidentiary hearing before trial
- Any cases that cannot be resolved are set for trial
- Trial: someone charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony criminal offense has the right to a trial by jury
- A trial can be waived and the case tried before a judge alone
- Witness will be subpoenaed to appear at trial and testify
- A defendant has a right to confront and cross examine witness so they need to testify in court even if they have previously given a statement
- A person charged with a criminal offense is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt
- It is the burden of the State (represented in court by a prosecutor) to meet that standard
- Resolution: if a defendant is convicted of an offense by plea or trial, they will have some form of sentence imposed
- A sentence can include executed jail or prison time, probationary time, or a combination of both
- As a part of a sentence, a defendant can be ordered to pay restitution, do community service, pay a fine, have no contact with victims and witnesses and remain law abiding
- A defendant may also be required to seek chemical dependency treatment is applicable
- Hennepin County also has several problem solving, or treatment courts, that address a variety of underlying issues that may be causing criminal behavior, such as chemical dependency, mental health issues, homelessness or other needs that are addressed in a intensive supervision setting with needed services provided
- There are also diversion programs for offenders, with little to no criminal history who have committed certain offenses, have an educational component and some type of community service a defendant can complete in exchange for dismissal of the offense
If you have questions about a case or how it is being resolved in the court system, please feel free to contact me or your crime prevention specialist.
If you would like a more in depth look into what the police department and criminal justice system is all about, consider signing up for a Citizens Academy. |
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Meet Your Beat
Meet the Beat Officers in Whittier and Stevens Square | |
The Minneapolis Police Department's 5th Precinct Day Beat in early 2014 was comprised of (1) Sergeant and (6) Beat Officers. The Day Beat includes Sgt. Rena Dudgeon as the Day Beat Patrol Supervisor, Officers Robert Illetschko, Scott Watry, Brianna Garman and Aimee Colegrove covering the Franklin Corridor, Officer Debra Hubert covering the Lake Street Corridor and Officer Bevan Blauert who covers the Hennepin Avenue Corridor. There have been some recent changes in personnel.
Last year, Beat Officers handled over 5,000 calls for service, performed over 3,000 stops and made over 5,000 arrests. Much of the activity during a Beat Officer's day includes building relationships with the businesses and the community in their geographical area. Beat Officers perform business checks, foot beats and address livability crimes. Beat Officers attend community meetings and address concerns of community members and business owners while sharing information on problem areas. Beat Officers not only develop creative solutions to address crime patterns but more importantly they also take the initiative to perform details to prevent problem areas from developing.
Beat Officers have diversified the way that they perform their patrol duties. Whether it's patrolling their Beat area in a squad, on bicycle or during a foot beat Beat Officers are more accessible to the community that they proudly serve.
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Bike Safety
Resources and registration for the biking community |
We have compiled a variety of bike-related resources, events, departments, and more in Minnesota below. If you start looking into the topic, you will find even more available around.
Whether you are a bicyclist or a motorist, if you are interested I recommend you look into the data and research section of the city's bike page, which includes, among other pieces, a study of bicyclist/motorist crashes in Minneapolis over a 10 year time period and what trends were seen.
Remember: safety starts with all of us!
BIKE REGISTRATION
Remember that you can now register your bike for FREE through Minneapolis! Do it one of three ways: call 311, use the free 311 app you can download at Minneapolis 311's webpage, or register online.
This is super important! Why? Because if your bike is stolen it allows us to return it to you if it's recovered. Or it could help if you or your kids are ever in an accident on your bike without ID, when you can't immediately tell anyone who you are or your family's contact information.
BIKE SAFETY
 | | Biking in the City |
Watch bicycle safety videos and more on the City of Minneapolis' youtube page. The one above explains the types of bike lanes and trails in Minneapolis.
For more information on bikes in Minneapolis, including a lot of great videos, tips and more, visit the city's bike page.
8 Main Rules of the Road
- Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted.
- Bicyclists should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direction as traffic.
- Motorists must at all times maintain a three-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.
- Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists.
- Motorists and bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to each other.
- Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
- Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it's dark. To increase visibility, add a rear flashing light.
- Bicyclists should always wear helmets.
Even more great bike safety information can be found at Share the Road. You can order great resources for free through them if you ever need it for dissemination. (Note: they also have a pedestrian section)
Bicycle Theft Prevention Tips
- Lock your bike with a u-lock or other difficult to compromise lock
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- Call 911 on suspicious activity, particularly if you see someone steal a bike or loiter around locked bikes.
- If your bike is stolen, check MPLS Bike Love, resale places like Craigslist, and the city's Bicycle Theft page with referenced phone numbers and other units, to see if it's been recovered or is being sold. YOU WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY NEED YOUR SERIAL NUMBER TO VERIFY IT'S YOUR BIKE. This is why it's so important to have that!
- Report stolen bikes! You can do this through 911 or 311, depending on the situation. When in doubt, call 911. They will transfer you if needed.
- Report recovered bikes! Call 911 and someone will retrieve it and check against police reports to see if we can identify the owner.
BIKE EVENTS
Northern Spark
Saturday, June 14, 9:01 pm and beyond
Visit northernspark.org for event and location information.
Open Streets: Nicollet
Sunday, September 14, noon - 5 pm
Lake St to 46th St, along Nicollet Av S
Find more bike events at mplsbike.org, Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition site.
BICYCLING EMAIL UPDATES
If you are interested in subscribing to receive more bike-related updates in the future from the city, visit the bike subscription page.
Learn more about the Minneapolis Bicycle Program or find contacts for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Section staff on the city website. |
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Open House
Police Week Open House was May 13 | |
Thank you to all the donors and supporters for our Open House this year, and for everyone who attended! Below are just a few of the pictures we have from this year's Open House.
 | | Stevens Square stroll patrol pups pose with McGruff |
Every year during Police Week we have an Open House, usually the Tuesday from 5-7 pm. A lot of different units are in attendance, including typically the Minneapolis Fire Department, Minneapolis Police Mounted Patrol (horses), K9 Unit (dogs), SWAT, the Bomb Squad, and more! The Minneapolis Police Band plays music, and we have free food from the community.
Whether or not you were able to make it this year, we hope you can join us next year! Watch for advertisements on the govdelivery list in 2015! |
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Notorious Notables
Follow up on some crimes in Fifth Precinct | |
 | | James Leonard Jackson 11/4/1969 |
James Leonard Jackson
James Leonard Jackson (also known as James Leonard Beard) has been arrested almost 50 times since January 1, 2000 primarily for theft, shoplifting, and trespassing.
He is one of 30 people on the Fifth Precinct CLEAN List for Stevens Square and Whittier neighborhoods. This is a list of the most chronic offenders in the neighborhoods, often due to repeatedly committing livability crimes which negatively affect area businesses, residents, and quality of life.
He was charged with felony aggregated theft through the persistence of our Precinct Investigators.
If you would like to read more about Mr. Jackson and his conviction history, you can find the latest CLEAN sheet online. Other lists can be found online as well, for other areas or on other topics. Find more available information at the Fifth Precinct's page on the Minneapolis city site.
 | | Jason Otto Pedlar 7/8/70 |
Jason Otto Pedlar
Jason Pedlar was arrested in Minneapolis almost 70 times since January 1, 2000 primarily for theft, shoplifting, and trespassing.
On February 5, 2014, he entered the CVS at 2001 Nicollet Av S, where he was caught in the process of shoplifting. Mr. Pedlar had previously been trespassed from the location due to his chronic habit of shoplifting at this and many other locations in the Fifth Precinct for many years. The stolen items were still on Mr. Pedlar's person when officers arrived.
Theft is an aggregatable offense in Minneapolis, and the difference between larceny (misdemeanor) and burglary (felony) rests largely on the permission of the person to be on the premise. Mr. Pedlar was not allowed to be on premise because he had been trespassed and he knew he did not have permission to be at the location.
Due to this, Fifth Precinct Property Crimes Investigators were able to charge Mr. Pedlar with burglary rather than shoplifting. On February 20, 2014, he was incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights. His anticipated release date is March 16, 2015.
 | | Dujwan Jamaal Shabazz 2/18/88 |
 | | Marcus Dupree Smith 5/7/85 |
Marcus Dupree Smith and Dujwan Jamaal Shabazz
Mr. Smith and Mr. Shabazz were part of a multijurisdictional concern. Fifth Precinct officers had at least 9 cases involving Smith and Shabazz for Theft and Financial Transaction Card Fraud. There were several other cases that investigators from two other major cities were working on as well.
Smith and Shabazz would use both current and fake memberships to gain entry to fitness centers throughout the metro area. Once inside they would break into lockers and steal victims' credit cards. Smith and Shabazz would use the stolen credit cards to purchase fuel at area gas stations, and then go to big box stores throughout the metro area to purchase Visa Gift cards and other merchant gift cards totaling up to thousands of dollars in losses.
After an extensive investigation by Investigators and Officers, both Smith and Shabazz were arrested and charged for Financial Transaction Card Fraud. |
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Spanish Outreach
with Crime Prevention Specialist John Reed |
 | | Spanish Language Outreach Specialist John Reed |
Donuts with Leaders
Sacred Heart Church and the Minneapolis Police Department will be having a bi-monthly gathering of before, during and after Sunday services to meet and get to know the congregation.
Donas con Líderes
La Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón y el Departamento de Policía de Minneapolis tendrán una reunión bimensual de antes, durante y después de las misas del domingo para reunirse y llegar a conocer a la congregación.
-John Reed, 612-673-5579. |
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Somali Outreach
with Somali Crime Prevention Specialist Ahmed Hassan |
 | | MPD Somali Liaison Ahmed Hassan |
The Minneapolis Police Department and the Somali community in the Fifth precinct meet monthly on a regular basis. These meetings have been taking place for the past 4 years. It is the most important dialogue between the Somali community and the police department. During these meetings various topics relating to safety issues are discussed. The community is happy to present any concerns they might have.
Waaxda Booliska Miniyaabolis and bulshada somaaliyeed waxy kulmaan bil walba hal mar si joogta ah. Waxaan laga wada hadlaa ariimo badan oo muhiim ah oo la xiriira nabadgelyada. Waana xiriirka ugu muhiimsah eek a dhaxeeya miniyaaabolis booliss iyo bulsha weynta somaaliyeed soona socday mudo 4 sanno ah. Shirarka marka lagu jira ayaa bulshada waxay soo gudbiyaan afkaartooda iyo arrimaha khuseeya dhanka nabadgelyada. |
| Workshops & Events
Upcoming crime prevention and community events |
The Minneapolis Police Department's Crime Prevention unit would like to invite you to the following workshops.
Rental Property Owner Workshops
The following Rental Property Owners Workshops remain for our 2014 schedule. We have one monthly workshop on 3rd Wednesday evenings, and one monthly workshop on 4th Saturday mornings from March through November:
Wednesday monthly dates: all times are 6-9pm:
July 16 + August 20 + October 15 + November 19 + December 17 + No Wednesday workshop in September
Saturday monthly dates: 10am-1pm:
June 28 + July 26 + August 23 + September 27 + October 25 + November 22 + No Saturday workshop in December
All workshops take place at our 5th Precinct, 3101 Nicollet Av. S., in the community room opposite the front desk.
RSVP ONLY. RSVP directly by email to Luther Krueger (Luther.Krueger@MinneapolisMN.gov). Seating in the Community Room at the precinct is about 70. If we get overbooked, I will accept RSVP's beyond that but you will need to bring an extra chair. That has happened several times be prepared if you register at the last minute :)
Each date has the same workshop agenda, there is no need to attend multiple dates. |
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The Minneapolis Police Department Fifth Precinct is dedicated to protecting the public and serving our communities. Thank you for your help in making Southwest Minneapolis a safe place to live, work and play.
Sincerely,
Inspector Todd Loining
5th Precinct Minneapolis Police Department |
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Wards | |
Ward 6
Council Member Abdi Warsame
Ward 7
Council Member Lisa Goodman
website
Ward 8
Council Member Elizabeth Glidden
website
Ward 10
Council Member Lisa Bender
website
Ward 11
Council Member John Quincy website
Ward 13
Council Member Linea Palmisano
website
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Neighborhood Associations | |
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