State Patrol to increase presence in Minneapolis again after ‘increase in criminal activity’ this past weekend

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety announced that it will step up its presence in Minneapolis with additional troopers from the Minnesota State Patrol.

A news release from DPS states that the State Patrol will “significantly increase its presence around the Twin Cities in the coming weeks” in response to the recent criminal activity and street racing that happened this past weekend.

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State Patrol plans to assign 20 additional troopers and aviation resources to designated areas of the Twin Cities on July 8 and 9. The area is primarily in Minneapolis, and the focus will be on street racing with additional 911 dispatchers, the news release states.

This is in addition to the Highway Enforcement for Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) program that is in place across the state.

The BCA is also assisting, with 12 state investigators and one crime analyst working on “homicide and gun crime investigations in Minneapolis and surrounding communities,” according to the news release.

The Minnesota State Patrol assigned four state troopers to Minneapolis on May 5 in order to provide “high-visibility patrols” in designated areas of the city. The troopers do not respond to 911 calls, but coordinate with and assist MPD officers during the patrols.