Minnesota governor pushes public safety plan, looks at the needs of each city to cut crime
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Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz visited Eagan to discuss the city’s struggles when it comes to cutting crime and how to prevent it.
Minneapolis is not the only city in Minnesota experiencing rising crime – other communities across the state are experiencing it too. Now, state leaders are trying to do their part to take on the issue.
Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz sat down with Eagan city leaders and first responders to talk about the need to keep people safe.
It’s the first of many stops over the next several weeks where the governor is pushing his $300 million grant plan to cut down crime in Minnesota and increase public safety across the state. In partnership with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety, the proposal has been dubbed the Walz-Flanagan Budget to Move Minnesota Forward.
If it passes, local government will decide how to best spend the grant money in their own style of crime-cutting efforts.
Eagan’s Police Chief, Roger New, joined in on the round table discussion. New explained how he would like to see more more health resources for first responders, as well as added support of the school officer resource program in Eagan.
Minneapolis is not the only city in Minnesota experiencing rising crime. Other communities across Minnesota are experiencing it too. Now, state leaders are trying to do their part to take on the issue.
“Those are programs we need to get back in place. We need to encourage school districts, not abandon their partners in law enforcement but to bring them back to the table and be part of the larger conversation” Chief New said.
While Gov. Walz is touring and rallying support for his 2022 budget plan, Minnesota Republicans say they are approving their own $65 million plan for public safety. The Republican’s plan includes legislation to use $2 million to market and bring in more police officers across Minnesota.
Sen. Majority Leader, Jeremy Miller, says public safety needs to be a bipartisan effort.
“It’s going to take public officials at all levels, Democrats and Republicans, to roll up our sleeves. We’re taking on this issue of violent crime, it is a crisis right now in our state and Senate Republicans will continue to make our communities safer,” Miller said.
Gov. Walz has plans to host more discussions like he did Tuesday, allowing city leaders to weigh in on his budget plans. While other events are not on the calendar yet, his office does say there is a plan to visit multiple cities across the metro and Greater Minnesota.
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