Minneapolis Police Still Waiting For Outside Officers To Help Boost Dwindling Ranks
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The city of Minneapolis approved $500,000 for the police department to contract help from other agencies.
A week and half later, MPD still doesn't have any additional officers on the streets.
The number of people hurt and killed by gunfire in the city of Minneapolis continues to rise. The death toll is nearing 80, gaining ground on the highest number of murders ever in the city.
"Our resources are hemorrhaging, our city is bleeding at this moment and I'm trying to do all I can to stop the bleeding," said Chief Medaria Arradondo during a Nov. 10 city council committee meeting.
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Arradondo petitioned the Minneapolis City Council for money to help contract out with other law enforcement agencies to help respond to the needs of Minneapolis residents. The goal was to have the additional officers on the street from Nov. 15 until the end of the year. So far, no police partners are actively patrolling the streets of Minneapolis.
According to Minneapolis Police, its potential law enforcement partners have been sent contracts that are being evaluated by their legal teams. MPD would not say which agencies the contracts went to.
We do know the Hennepin County Sheriff's office is a potential partner. The Metro Transit Police Department has said it could not handle taking officers away from providing safety on trains and buses, but added it will continue to support MPD as it has in the past.
There's no official word on when MPD's law enforcement partners will be named or begin working.