MINNEAPOLIS — The city of Minneapolis claims its latest crime-fighting plan is working. Leaders touted new numbers Monday to show “Operation Endeavor” is making progress in the fight against violence, but said the work is far from over.
Operation Endeavor is a partnership between about a dozen local state and federal agencies. Some include the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Minnesota State Patrol, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and others.
Safety leaders said they use three factors to determine where to send officers; reports of shootings, people hurt by gunfire, and carjackings. They said the numbers in all those areas are down from this time last year, with gun-related calls down 30%, shooting victims down 29% and carjackings down 65%.
The operation is the first initiative led by the newly formed Office of Community Safety. Commissioner Cedric Alexander said the operation uses data to best deploy resources across the city on any given day.
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“There is no particular part of the city that is being over treated. Everybody is receiving the same level of resources as we move them around the city and we’ve been very intentional about that,” Alexander said.
“What we can tell you based on the data you have before you is that operation endeavor is working,” Mayor Jacob Frey said.
A Hennepin County attorney is embedded with the operation, improving communication between agencies, County Attorney Mike Freedman said.
“What we find unfortunately is the same people commit the crime over and over again. Well we are starting to hone down on those folks, and project ‘Endeavor’ is helping bring resources there,” he said.
Of the 59 cases brought forward during the first 28 days of the operation, 46 people were charged. The operation also focuses on crime prevention with the help of various community groups working shifts in neighborhoods where it’s needed.
“We are going to continue to put our best foot forward and create the necessary synergy as we are always moving around to try to bring peace to the neighborhoods,” Rev. Jerry McAfee said.
They said they’ve stopped overdoses and given employment and housing resources to more than 100 people during the first month.
Law enforcement said it also confiscated large qualities of cash, guns and fentanyl pills.
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