This year, the Fourth Precinct police have been going to community meetings, NNO Block Parties, and any other place where two or more are gathered and advising people that they will be stopping vehicles for ANY traffic violations, equipment violations or parking infractions in an effort to fight gang activity and street dealing of drugs. They have told us that they need to crack down in a consistent manner in order to not be see as profiling or targeting any single group of people. They also have to have probable cause in order to make these stops. The crackdown on these illegal activities have come at the repeated request of the residents and our council members. I have been at meetings where this has been discussed in the presence of our northside counsel members.
The portion of Plymouth Avenue where this tag was issued, has no parking on either side of the street and has had for many years. There seems to be no argument on either side of this issue that the council person was stopped in a traffic lane. There is no mention that her vehicle had broken down and the gentleman with her was attempting to help her get it started, so I will assume she could have moved her car when the officer requested that she do so. Nothing in the traffic law says that the officer needed explain why the council;member should move her car other than what she was doing; obstructing traffic. Whether the driver thinks the order is 'silly' is not something that should be discussed on the street with the officer. I am sure that all of our counsel members know how to get a hold of Insp Dolan, the Deputy Chiefs or the Chief at any time. There is no accusation that the officer swore at Council Member Johnson-Lee or that she was even rude. She may not have been office friendly, but then she wasn't asking the driver to go to coffee with her. She was doing her job. Nor is the officer accused of beating her up or being physical towards the council member in any way. Council Member Johnson-Lee says that since the officer didn't know who she was, she treated her the same way she would any other citizen. I would, therefore, think the council member would be at least pleased with the officer's professional manner even though she may not have liked the officer's request to move or the ticket. As far as saying this was a racial incident, I don't think there is much proof of that. According to the story, this occurred at 7:40 AM on a weekday morning. I have been retired for a couple of years, but I think this time period is still considered 'rush hour'. Perhaps Council Member Johnson-Lee didn't noticed, but I have a feeling the squad car was not the only car that would have had to change lanes in order to accommodate her conversation. I also bet the drivers of those other cars didn't take race into consideration as they mumbled comments going by her. For anyone not familiar with Plymouth Ave NO, it is a major thru street, not a quite residential side street. In short, if a white driver had acted the same, he or she would have gotten a tag, too. We often expect our police officers to maintain a higher standard of conduct. Should we not ask the same from the people we elect to represent us? If you ask any driver on the north side, people stopping their cars in the street to chat is an all too common practice. It is rude and inconsiderate behavior. As far as the excuse that she was talking to a constituent, he could have jumped into her car, and continued their conversation as she drove into the parking lot. I would hope that all of our elected officials will remember that they are looked up to by all of their constituents, regardless of race, sex or age, and act accordingly. Their actions are no longer private and they are subject to close scrutiny. Anne McCandless Jordan TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
