2nd of 4 listening sessions regarding Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office scheduled for Saturday

Ramsey County’s Board of Commissioners is holding four listening sessions to hear residents’ views on the sheriff’s office.

The second virtual meeting is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Ramsey County Commissioner and Board Chair Toni Carter said the board wants to hear residents’ perspectives on the sheriff’s department.

"There have been some things that we have been concerned with as a board, that our community has been concerned with. We want to make certain we are all working with that same vision," Carter said.

Gidget Bailey, the owner of Tin Cup’s bar and restaurant, lives and works in Ramsey County.

"I think [Ramsey County Sheriff] Bob Fletcher is doing a phenomenal job," Bailey said.

Bailey spoke at the first virtual listening session, in which 200 people participated, and plans to attend again on Saturday.

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"My biggest concern is the safety right now, right now the city of St. Paul is not a safe place," Bailey said.

Fletcher continues to do virtual Facebook Live ride-alongs as one effort, he’s said, to improve transparency.

Over the phone, Fletcher told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS: "I always welcome input from the community and am confident we have a strong relationship with our community."

The goal of the four sessions on the sheriff’s office is to learn community members’ views on transparency and trust with the department. Topics such as equity, performance and budgets are being discussed.

"We want to be certain that we are hearing from our community, what they require, how the sheriff’s department can — together with a community of stakeholders — focus on a public safety environment that does good things for people," Carter said.

Fletcher said his department will have its own listening session on crime. He said it’s slated for the spring.

You can learn more about participating in the listening sessions, or the county’s proposed 2021 budget.