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Fifth Precinct Spotlight: Spring 2016, 14th edition
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| Fifth Precinct Inspector
Todd Loining |
Hello and welcome to the Fifth Precinct Spotlight, a chance for us in the Fifth Precinct to show you a behind the scenes look at what's happening in the precinct and the Minneapolis Police Department. Please share with your neighbors, friends, family, or anyone who you think might be interested.
In this edition, you will find the following articles:
*Fifth Precinct Open House - Tues May 17, 5-7 pm
*Park Police Chief Ohotto, article on Minneapolis Park Ordinances
*Why be a block leader/contact?
*New Somali-American officer joins the 5th Precinct
*Everyday Heroes, 2 stories of compassionate officers on the same day
*Minneapolis Public Works opening 2 new bike lanes
*Domestic Violence Hot Spots Project Starts in South Minneapolis
*Minneapolis Organics Recycling
*Securonet helps save lives and solve crimes
*Spring safety tips
*Spanish outreach - Robbery of person prevention
*Robbery prevention tip videos in English, Spanish, and Somali
*Upcoming events
There's a lot of information in this so we hope you have the chance to read and enjoy. Thank you for your interest in our precinct newsletter!
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Fifth Precinct Open House
Join us for our Fifth Precinct Open House-
Tuesday May 17, 2016
5-7 pm
3101 Nicollet Av S
What can you expect to find at the Fifth Precinct Open House? Free food, fun, and entertainment. Multiple city and MPD units come out to give information to the community and showcase their programs or vehicles.
Want a preview of what you'll see? Click here!
See below for information in Spanish and Somali, or find a flyer in all three languages for easy dissemination here!
Policía de MinneapolisExibición Abierta del 5to RecintoEl martes, 17-Mayo, 5-7 pm
Una oportunidad para aprender sobre la Policía de Minneapolis. Será divertido, gratis y para todo mundo. Habrá refrescos.
Miniyaabolis Boolis
Xafladda Soo dhaweynta ee Saldhigga
Talaado Maajo 17ka 5-7 fiidnimo
Xafladan waxay fursad idinsiinaysaa in aad baraataan Miniyaabolis boolis. Waa wax fiican familka oo dhan ayaa iman kara. Cunto fudud ayaa la keenayaa.
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A Message from Park Police Chief John Ohotto
As summer nears, millions of visitors will again converge on Minneapolis parks. It is important to remember that Minneapolis parks have ordinances established by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board that govern park use. A complete list of park ordinances can be found here.
Here are a few ordinances to pay special attention to:
- Generally, the consumption of alcohol is prohibited within parks (PB2-17). During some special events and within defined "beer gardens" located at concession areas, alcohol may be served. Aside from these sanctioned locations, please don't drink alcohol in Minneapolis parks.
- Parks close (PB2-33) at either 10pm (undeveloped areas) or midnight (developed parks). Developed parks are defined by having lighting, pathways, and other amenities.
- Amplified sound is also generally not allowed (PB2-34). Any amplified sound that is plainly audible from 50 feet of the source constitutes a violation. This includes music emanating from vehicles. Please be respectful of all park users and turn the music down.
- All dogs must be leashed and are not allowed to enter the water (PB2-18). Regardless of how obedient your dog may be, a leash (not longer than 8 feet) is required.
Finally, as you visit Minneapolis parks this summer, please leave your valuables at home or secured in a vehicle trunk (prior to arrival). Thieves are looking for easy opportunities to break into cars and steal wallets, purses, brief cases, and other valuables. These crimes only take seconds to commit and credit cards are most often targeted.
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Why be a block leader/contact?
►Anyone can be one! Doesn't matter if you're a renter or owner. ►It's easy! Just make information available to your neighbors. ►You get things! You get specialized crime alerts, telling you in detail what happened on your block. AND you get priority seating on these free options:
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Mohamed Noor joins the 5th Precinct
Mohamed Noor is a Somali-American Police Officer for the City of Minneapolis currently assigned to the 5th Precinct (Southwest Minneapolis). Officer Noor joined the Department in March 2015 and just recently completed his Field Training. He has a Degree in Economics and Business Administration from Augsburg College. Prior to joining the Department he worked in Property Management primarily in commercial and residential properties both in Minneapolis and the St. Louis Missouri/ East Metro market. Officer Noor is excited to be on the 5th Precinct roster and looking forward to being a part of the community. Recently we did a meet and greet to introduce him to the community, as he is Fifth Precinct's first Somali-American Officer. The event was well attended with hundreds of people showing up to meet, congratulate, and welcome him to the precinct.
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Everyday Heroes
stories behind the calls
On Saturday March 5, 2016 at about 5:30 pm, officers were called to a traffic accident that occurred at Minnehaha Pkwy W and 50th St W. The initial 911 call mentioned two vehicles involved, one of which was smoking and leaking a lot of fluid. A 17-year veteran officer who was training in a new recruit responded to the scene.
One of the victims involved was a 90-year old man. An ambulance was called to make sure everyone was okay. In the end, it was determined that the man could return home. However, officers noted that the man's vehicle had to be towed due to the extensive damage. Because he now had no way to get home, officers drove him to his Edina address.
When they arrived, they noticed that he had no food in his refrigerator and no means to get food now that his car was damaged. They also noticed that all his light bulbs were burned out in the house. The man lived alone and officers were concerned for his wellbeing and ability to get groceries.
The officers bought him groceries and then proceeded to replace all the burned out light bulbs in the home. Afterward, they contacted Meals on Wheels on his behalf to ensure that he would continue to get food until his vehicle was fixed.
The story behind the theft
On the same day, Saturday March 5, 2016, at about 4:40 pm, officers working off-duty and the loss prevention staff at a local grocery store were alerted to a man who was stealing items. Among the items stolen were miscellaneous food. The loss was around $11.
Upon stopping the man and identifying them, they found that he had a misdemeanor warrant out of Anoka County. The off-duty officers called in another squad to transport him to Hennepin County Jail. In the process of connecting with this man, officers realized that the man had been attempting to steal necessary items to bring to his mother who was dying of cancer. Officers allowed him to first purchase the items. Then, the officers in the squad brought him to Hopkins to his mother's address where they discovered he was not lying. They let him bring her the items before they had to book him in Hennepin County Jail for his warrant.
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Minneapolis Public Works to open two new bike lanes in the 5th Precinct this summer
Lyndale School Crossing Improvements
This project will help improve crossings along this route along Pleasant Ave S, which is also defined in the City's Bike Master Plan as a future bicycle boulevard. The project will also improve the crossing at 34th St W and Blaisdell Ave S, which will aid students who walk to Lyndale School from the east, or who attend after school programs at the Blaisdell YMCA. Improvements will include pedestrian flashers, curb ramp upgrades, and curb extensions.
Blaisdell Ave S Protected Bikeway (29th St W - 40th St W)
In 2016, Minneapolis Public Works is planning to install a protected bike lane on Blaisdell Ave S between 29th St W and 40th St W. In conjunction with 1st Ave S, Blaisdell Ave S is an important north-south bicycle connection between south Minneapolis and downtown. This segment of Blaisdell Ave S is also identified on the Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan to include a protected bikeway. A protected bikeway creates a more comfortable space to ride that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic. A separated facility can attract a wider demographic of riders of varying skill level, and the City sees protected bikeways as an important tool to increase bicycling in Minneapolis.
Nicollet Ave S Bikeway (40th St E - 61st St E)
In the summer of 2016, Minneapolis Public Works will be sealcoating Nicollet Avenue South from East Minnehaha Parkway to 61st Street. This provides an opportunity to install bike lanes in this segment as identified in the Minneapolis Bicycle Master Plan. There is also an opportunity to continue the project north of East Minnehaha Parkway to 40th Street without significant modifications. Initial review has found that impacts to existing parking would be minimal.
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Domestic Violence Hot Spots Project
Starts in South Minneapolis
Guest article by Michelle Jacobson with City Attorney's Office
While domestic violence is a crime that impacts all geographic areas and all economic and racial groups, in the City's efforts to more effectively address and prevent violent crime, the Minneapolis Police Department has identified that the number one citizen initiated request for police service (911 calls) in violent crime hot spots in North and South Minneapolis were related to domestic violence.
Hoping to increase follow-up intervention related to those domestic-violence related 911 calls where no police report was generated, the City Attorney's Office, Police Department, and Health Department partnered with the Domestic Abuse Project (DAP) to expand a pilot project begun in North Minneapolis last year to violent crime hot spots located in South Minneapolis. A "hot spot team" consisting of a uniformed police officer from the 3rd or 5th Precinct and a therapist from DAP began making follow-up home visits to addresses where domestic violence related 911 calls in identified "hot spots" where no police reports were originally generated. The police officers participating in the pilot received specialized training. During the home visits, the team offers services, provides resources, and collects data about the family in an effort to improve community resources. Goals of the pilot project are to: - Increase Engagement between Victims/Offenders & uniformed police officer
- Increase Engagement between Victims/Offenders & therapists/DV service provider(s)
- Increase Awareness of DV related services for victims, children & offenders
- Offer Services to Victims/Offenders/Children for DV related issues
- Utilize victim/family input to improve system's response to DV
The MPD-Family Therapist Team home visits were initiated in South Minneapolis in March 2016. Since implementation of the pilot in South Minneapolis:
- 49 separate addresses have been visited;
- 70% of those visits resulted in successful contacts where individuals were home and were willing to interact with the team;
- Over 38 individuals have spoken with the MPD-family therapist team; and
- During the visits, persons residing in the homes have received increased information about how to access services, both relating to domestic violence issues and other issues occurring in the home such as mental health issues, housing, and other basic needs.
The home visits have identified a need to ensure that people are aware of the services available in the community for domestic violence, parenting, chemical dependency, mental health concerns and other basic needs. The steering committee for the pilot are now actively engaging with Hennepin County Human Services and other service providers in the community and are working on methods to proactively improve access of the individuals to needed services, along with effective methods to provide direct referrals following home visits.
Michelle Jacobson Supervising Attorney - Criminal Minneapolis City Attorney's Office 612-673-3276
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Minneapolis Organics Recycling
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Minneapolis residents - Did you know that up to 40% of items you throw away can be composted? Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling customers can now sign up to have organics collected weekly from their homes for composting. There's no extra cost to participate, but you do have to sign up.
Residents may begin using their organics cart right when they receive it. Organics recycling i
ncludes:
- All food scraps including things you wouldn't put in a backyard compost bin like meats, bones, and dairy products
- Non-recyclable and food-soiled paper including paper towels, facial tissues, egg cartons and pizza boxes, and
- Other compostable items like coffee grounds, tea bags, compostable plastics, cotton balls and even animal and human hair and nail clippings.
Organics Recycling does not include: yard waste; pet waste litter or bedding; diapers and sanitary products; dryer lint or dryer sheets; products labeled biodegradable, made from plants,
or earth friendly; and plastic-lined paper items such as milk cartons, juice boxes, Chinese take-out boxes, ice cream tubs, paper plates with decorations on them, butter wraps, butcher paper, and non-certified plastic lined coffee cups from major coffee chains, fast-food restaurants and convenience stores.
Please also remember that organics must be bagged - in a paper grocery bag or in a certified compostable plastic bag. Compostable plastic bags MUST have the BPI logo on the bag. The logo will also be on the box the bags come in. Compostable plastic bags can be purchased at large retailers, grocery stores, food co-ops, and some hardware and gardening stores. Large items like pizza boxes and egg cartons do not need to be bagged.
Residents who live in buildings that are not serviced by Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling can bring organics to organics recycling drop-off sites in the City.
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Guest article by Commander Scott Gerlicher, Special Operations and Intelligence Division with MPD
Securonet helps solve crime, saves time, and saves lives. It's rare in policing when you come across an affordable technology that can do all of these things. Securonet is one of those technologies.
It is a system that has many benefits but also lets you better connect with your business community and residents. Through Securonet, a police department is able to leverage privately owned cameras creating a force multiplier and also enables police to instantly reach out to hundreds of camera owners simultaneously in order to identify evidentiary videos. The system is simple: Businesses and/or residents with private exterior cameras register them online through Securonet for free at mpls.securonetservices.com. The police department can then log in to Securonet and see where these cameras are located on a map. The map also includes details as to who the owner is, contact information and the specific camera location. In the event of a criminal incident, police can simply select the cameras on the map which may have video footage and then send a detailed message to all of these camera owners simultaneously. This tool saves time as investigators no longer have to go door-to door looking for cameras on building exteriors and then inquiring as to who owns the camera and how to obtain video footage. Securonet does this all at the push of a button, saving hours or days of investigator time. In Minneapolis, we have hundreds of privately owned cameras in our downtown area which are now registered through Securonet. When a serious incident arises, our staff can quickly reach out to camera owners and in most cases, get an almost immediate response. In the cases where we have used Securonet, we have had 100% response back from businesses who have registered their camera. Another feature of Securonet, is that it also allows, if the business owners chooses, for the police to view a live feed of their cameras. This can be streamed directly to any computer or smartphone. HelpLink 911: This new feature through the Securonet platform is in my opinion a game changer for law enforcement. In the event of a serious emergency situation, businesses which have opted in for HelpLink911 are able to instantly activate a panic button. Once they do this, a live feed of selected interior and/or exterior cameras is instantly streamed to law enforcement. When the panic button is activated, an automated email with a link to the video is sent to pre-determined law enforcement staff. Then all law enforcement has to do is click on the link in the email and they can see what is happening live. This link can also be sent directly to responding officers or SWAT Team members who can pull up and view the live feed on their smartphones. This offers incredible situational awareness for responding officers, increases safety and can save lives. There is no special software necessary with Securonet, it is completely web based and secure. The Securonet staff will work with your agency on implementation and there is very little training needed to understand and operate the system. I highly recommend Securonet to any law enforcement agency or business owner as it is a tool which I truly believe can help solve crime, save time, and most importantly, save lives. If you are interested in learning more about Securonet, their products and how they are helping the city of Minneapolis, you can contact them at: Phone: (888) 758-9644
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Simple and easy crime prevention tips for Spring/Summer
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As we go into spring, we all want to enjoy the warm weather. This means more people leaving windows open, walking outside, doing yardwork, 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 at the time you see it!
- Install or activate a tracking program/app on your smart phone to find it in case it is lost or stolen. This must be done BEFORE the phone is stolen.
- Install a security program on your laptop. This must be done BEFORE the laptop is stolen.
Robberies:
- Trust your instincts! If something feels off or wrong to you, there's a reason
- Pay attention to your surroundings
- Don't be distracted by your phone, as it can be stolen from your hand
- It's important not to drink and drive, but it's also important not to walk while obviously intoxicated, especially if you are alone, it is dark, you walk for blocks, and if you aren't liable to notice if you are being followed.
- More personal safety tips can be found under personal safety at http://go.usa.gov/cuJTz
- For pedestrian safety, visit the pedestrian section at www.sharetheroadmn.org
Burglaries:
- Pin all ground/first floor windows at 4-6". There are many ways to do this, depending on the type of window. For help/info, contact your CPS, visit a local hardware store, or see home security at http://go.usa.gov/3ZjJG
- Lock your garage service doors. If you often forget to do this, consider upgrading to a keypad lock that automatically locks when it shuts.
- Record the make, model and serial number of all your valuables. More info.
- Lock your doors and windows even when you are home. As you start doing yardwork/gardening, lock your doors to your home, especially on the opposite side of the house from where you are working.
- Watch this video of a career burglar to find out what made him choose one house or block and not another.
Theft from motor vehicle:
- Do not leave valuables visible in your vehicle. This includes putting it under your seat or putting a blanket/jacket over it.
- If you must leave valuables in your vehicle, put it in your trunk BEFORE reaching your destination
- Bags should not be left visible. Even if you know they are empty or only hold dirty gym clothes, a thief could believe it's filled with money.
- "Valuables" include GPS units, laptops, iPads, iPods, smart phones, wallets, purses, and more. If you spent money on it, someone can get money when they pawn it.
Bike theft and safety
- Record the make/model/serial number on your bike! This is very important! Most people do not have this information, and many bicycles that are recovered are sold at police auction every year.
- Register your bike with Minneapolis for free. Call 311 or visit http://go.usa.gov/3Zjh3
- Protect your bike with a lock that is difficult to compromise, like a u-lock.
- Visit http://go.usa.gov/3ZB7z and www.sharetheroadmn.org for more info.
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. The full crime prevention staff contact map can be found at http://go.usa.gov/3ZB7k.
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article by John Reed, Spanish crime prevention outreach for MPD
Alerta del Crimen
Los latinos están siendo objetos de robo en esta área, especialmente a través de callejones del día y de la noche.
¿Qué puede hacer?
- No llevar dinero en efectivo o valioso si es posible.
- No viaje solo.
- Mantenerse alerta y conocer sus alrededores.
- Si ve a alguien sospechoso, evitarlos o huir.
- Informar de cualquier delito o actividad sospechosa por llamar al 911 inmediatamente
¡Ten cuidado! Si usted tiene alguna pregunta o duda me llamas.
John Reed Especialista de la Prevención del Crimen de la Policía de Minneapolis
Robbery of Person Prevention
We have seen a trend of Hispanic victims of robberies in the area, especially when they are walking in alleys during the day or night.
What can you do?
- Don't carry more money or valuables than needed
- Don' travel alone
- Stay alert and know your surroundings
- If you see someone suspicious, try to avoid them
- If you witness suspicious activity or a crime, call 911
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Robbery Prevention Videos
Want more robbery prevention tips? See the below videos in English, Spanish, and Somali.
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| | Robbery prevention tips - English |
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| | Robbery prevention tips - Spanish |
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| | Robbery prevention tips - Somali |
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Upcoming Events
Fifth Precinct Open House Fifth Precinct Open House will be Tuesday May 17, 5-7 pm. See the earlier article for more information.
Rental Property Owner Workshops
Here are the upcoming 2016 Rental Property Owner Workshops:
Wednesday monthly dates: all times are 6-9pm: May 18 + June 15 + July 20 + August 17 + September 21 + October 19 Saturday monthly dates: 10am-1pm: May 14 + July 9 + September 10 + November 12 + December 10
All workshops take place at 5th Precinct (3101 Nicollet Av S) in the community room.
Each date has the same workshop agenda. There is no need to attend multiple dates.
There is a $30 fee for the workshop. We will waive the fee for the workshop for owners of Minneapolis licensed rental properties (or conversions to rental) who are enrolled in our Action Alerts, an email crime alert system tailored to the needs of rental property owners. Luther will sign you up assuming you want to get these alerts, which are provided at no charge.
Luther Krueger, Crime Prevention Analyst
612-673-5371 + Luther.Krueger@MinneapolisMN.gov
Safe Summer Nights Inspired by St Paul Police Department's Safe Summer Nights, an event in which the police department goes to a community park and cooks out for the community, the MPD partnered to do the same last year in Fourth and Third Precincts. This year, we're adding Fifth Precinct. Join the MPD for a picnic open to everyone--Officers will cook the hamburgers and hot dogs, and you're invited to join the fun!
Tuesday July 26 5-8 pm Painter Park, 620 W 34th St (34th and Lyndale Av S)
Want more info? Here's a video from last year:
This year, NNO is Tuesday August 2
Every year we have National Night Out, and just about every year Minneapolis is #1 in the nation for our size of city for the number of events we hold. Let's keep that winning streak going!
If you have had a NNO event in the past, you should have already received an email for a super simple and quick way to register again this year. If you missed the email or are a new event organizer, email Luther.Krueger@minneapolismn.gov and he'll make it super easy for you! He can even tell you if someone already registered on your block!
If you register by July 19, you can close off your street for free.
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