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<\/p>\nminneapolis
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Don Samuels, 72, is an American success story. Born in Jamaica, he moved to the United States 52 years ago. He has since built a prosperous life as a designer, eventually settling in Minneapolis, inventing and creating toys for major manufacturers. He became a member of the Minneapolis City Council, where he served during 2003 to 2014, and even ran for mayor in 2013. <\/p>\n
So, last year, he was shocked to see his city go up in flames after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. While many peaceful protests erupted on the streets, so did violent riots that left some neighborhoods looted and burned. As anti-cop sentiment grew, the Minneapolis City Council voted to dismantle the city\u2019s police force, slashing $8 million from its budget and diverting it to other services. <\/p>\n
Samuels said he and his wife Sondra were stunned by the council\u2019s move. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey just thought, \u2018Get rid of police and the world would be great.\u2019 My wife and I look at each other and go like, \u2018Oh, my God, it\u2019s going to be crazy around here.\u2019\u2009\u201d <\/p>\n
Their fears of a hamstrung police department giving rise to emboldened criminals sadly came true. <\/p>\n
Last year marked the second deadliest in the city\u2019s history (after only 1995, when it was notoriously dubbed \u201cMurderapolis\u201d). In 2021, from January 1 to July 1, homicides have risen even higher \u2014 up 34 percent compared to the same time frame in 2020. Several children have been killed by gunfire in recent weeks, including a 6-year-old girl riding in a car, a 9-year-old girl jumping on a trampoline at a friend\u2019s birthday party, and another 6-year-old girl eating a McDonald\u2019s Happy Meal while returning home in her mom\u2019s car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Crime has always been a problem in certain neighborhoods, but stories of horrific violence are no longer aberrational in the city, Samuels said, particularly in his area of North Minneapolis. <\/p>\n
The home of one family he knows \u201chas two bullet holes, one in the front door and one in their daughter\u2019s bedroom wall.\u201d Last summer, gang members were \u201cshooting at each other across a field of 50 elementary school children practicing peewee football,\u201d he said. The coaches and the parents had \u201cto dive on them to cover them up,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
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After many Minneapolis cops retired, quit or went on extended medical leave (predominantly from PTSD) last summer, the city\u2019s department is now short more than 200 officers from its state-mandated 889. The understaffing has led to a drop in police vigilance: Cops have made about 400 violent-crime arrests so far this year, down 30 percent from 600 over the same time period last year. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have a neighbor who called 911 to say she was bringing her groceries in from the car and there were guys getting into her car because it was open to drive off,\u201d Samuels said. \u201cShe called and she\u2019s explaining this to the 911 operator and they say, \u2018We don\u2019t have anybody.\u2019\u2009\u201d <\/p>\n
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Late last year, Samuels and his wife, along with their neighbors, finally took action by filing a lawsuit against the city for failing to provide the minimum number of police officers per citizen in Minneapolis. On July 1, a judge ruled in their favor, ordering the Minneapolis Police Department to hire more officers. The department is now required to staff at least 730 officers by June 30, 2022, or .0017 sworn officers per resident. <\/p>\n
The city council has also reversed its original decision to defund the police, approving $6.4 million in additional funding that the department requested to hire and train more cops. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are still a long way from the 888 [officers] that used to be our goal,\u201d Samuels said. \u201cBut it will be a big improvement, by about 80, from where we are today. At least the council will not continue its defund strategy.\u201d <\/p>\n
Samuels said he is satisfied that people like him \u2014 minorities living in neighborhoods where violence escalated amid anti-police sentiment \u2014 are finally being heard. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled that the voices in the most ignored quadrant prevailed against a national movement of na\u00efvet\u00e9,\u201d he said. \u201cA black life matters when taken by cops and each black life matters when lost to community violence. We deserve community services, affordable housing and a decent relationship with police. And we most certainly deserve to live.\u201d <\/p>\n