There has been a lot of hand-wringing recently as to what state lawmakers should do to help stop the explosive rise in violent crime in the Twin Cities.
Sen. Warren Limmer, chairman of the Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy committee of the Senate, was recently asked this question and he wisely suggested the following:
“Democrats’ extreme rhetoric to Defund the Police, liberal judges refuse to recognize our law and release violent criminals, and a lack of prosecutorial courage by liberal county attorneys to enforce the laws we currently have on the books has contributed to the violent crime wave that terrorizes our communities.
“According to the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission, 40 percent of violent gun crimes are not given the full sentence. Cities that refuse to adequately resource their law enforcement are failing their communities. This is unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, a Defund the Police activist who was finally voted off the Minneapolis City Council by Minneapolis voters last year, joined former President Barack Obama’s foundation as a top staffer. Former Minneapolis City Council member Phillip Cunningham is the new U.S. U.S. deputy director lead of global leadership programs for the foundation.
When asked about the rising crime in the Twin Cities, Sen. Limmer offered this analysis:
“The Defund the Police movement was a wake-up call for criminals,” Limmer said, explaining that a major problem in Minneapolis has been police fleeing the department.