Suburban mayors on Hennepin County Attorney's approach to crime wave

Saying that officials can't “incarcerate our way out of” the spike in violent crime in the Twin Cities, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman wants to reboot a 1990s-era anti-crime initiative to deal with the problem. He’s calling the project MN HEALS 2.0.

Freeman met Monday with officials from across Hennepin County, including police chiefs, prosecutors and mayors. The meeting came after the mayors of Maple Grove, New Hope, Crystal, Brooklyn Park and Plymouth sent a letter to Freeman.

The letter expressed concern about carjackings and robberies that the mayors say have spilled into suburban communities from Minneapolis. The mayors wrote they are upset that "criminals are being turned back to the street in short order with little or no consequence."

Jeff Wosje is the mayor of Plymouth. He signed the letter and was at Monday’s meeting, and he joined host Cathy Wurzer with more.

Wosje shared anecdotal evidence of brazen criminal behavior in his area. He said he wanted to reduce the fear he sees in his neighbors.

Wosje said he recognized the need for long-term solutions to crime, “but we need some relief right now. … We need to get some short-term solutions in place.”

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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