Message from Council Member Kevin Reich

Looking back on 2012, a significant highlight for the City and the 1st Ward is the Public Safety story. Violent crime and property crime combined (identified as Part I crime) were flat citywide, at levels comparable to the mid-1960s, while burglary fell 6% citywide compared to 2011. The numbers for the 2nd Precinct tell an even better story. Our Precinct led the City in declining rates in Robbery (down 21%) and Burglary (down 6%), as well as the overall lowest Part I crime rate, down 6%. At the same time, the 2nd Precinct also leads the City in officer productivity, with a 66% increase in 2012. A good example of this work was the response to a crime spike in the Logan Park and Holland neighborhoods this past summer. The 2nd Precinct, in concert with strategic partnerships that have been fostered, put in place initiatives that led to an 80% drop in robbery within a couple of months. The ability to respond swiftly and successfully to crime issues speaks to the effectiveness of the leadership and personnel of our Precinct. In terms of leadership, we will see what I expect to be some significant but not disruptive changes for 2013. After 3 ½ years at the 2nd Precinct, Insp. Bryan Schafer will be heading up the 1st Precinct. His successor is Insp. Kathy Waite, who has worked at the 2nd Precinct leading the Investigation Unit, Community Response Team and the Crime Prevention Specialists. Insp. Waite has an impressive management history, most recently with the Special Operations Division, managing the Canine Unit, Traffic Unit and Disaster Strike Team. Additionally, she has been a SWAT Crisis Negotiator since 1999 and has been in charge of managing the Logistics Team for special deployment. In February I am co-hosting an event with the NE Chamber of Commerce and 2PAC to bid farewell to Inspector Bryan Schafer and introduce Inspector Waite to the community. This family-friendly event offers an opportunity to hear about 2nd Precinct crime statistics in more detail, thank Inspector Schafer for his service and learn about plans for the future of the precinct. Stay tuned for more details. ~ Kevin Reich --- Contact Kevin Reich 350 S. 5th Street Room 307 Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-673-2201 Kevin.Reich@minneapolismn.gov