The heat on the street

On a recent summer afternoon, officers Emily Schroeder and Matt Cashin began their patrol in the McDonald's along West Broadway in north Minneapolis. The two November graduates from police academy recently finished six months of field training.

When Cashin first started doing foot patrols, he said, people would assume that he was looking to arrest someone whenever he walked into a business.

"As the months progressed, as you can see they wave — happy to see us," he said.

Body cameras, gunshot detection systems and sophisticated crime-mapping technology are new tools in the Minneapolis Police Department's crime-fighting toolbox.

But this summer the department has recommitted itself to practicing perhaps the oldest form of policing — foot patrols.

Police Chief Janee Harteau is requiring all new officers to start their careers walking beats. Harteau has said beat officers help promote both public safety and foster better relationships with the community.

Cashin said he's always been interested in crime and law enforcement. After receiving an undergraduate degree in criminology from University of Minnesota-Duluth, Cashin earned a master's in forensic psychology. Schroeder grew up in Woodbury and became interested in becoming a police officer in high school. She has a family connection: a cousin also works for Minneapolis police.

Children in the McDonald's appear excited to see Schroeder and Cashin. A few curious tykes want to know what Schroeder is carrying on her duty belt. She shows them her flashlight, shining and blinking it on and off.

Schroeder also is equipped with a lot of Minneapolis police badge stickers, which she hands out and children heartily accept like they were candy at Halloween.

The McDonald's is located in the Hawthorn Crossings mall located along West Broadway Avenue. The mall parking lot and the sidewalks in front of the businesses are often the site of livability crimes such as loitering, loud music or drinking in public.

A few stores away from the McDonald's is the Dollar Tree store. The officers chat with store manager Anthony Jennings, who sometimes has problems with groups of young people who hang out in front of his store, keeping customers away. Someone was shot and killed in the parking lot last year, he said.

"I don't like a lot of that element over here," Jennings said. "'Cause one, it's bad for the community. Two, it's bad for business. And people don't feel safe. It's all about safety. [When] people feel safe they spend more."

Autaya Elex is sitting in a nearby cafe waiting for food. She feels safer when she sees the police around.

During the summer months, there are lot more people and police in the area. When asked if the increased police presence is adding tension to the mix, Elex said no, "because I've seen officers, from time to time, get out and talk to the people and they seem pretty accepting of it. They're laughing and talking with them."

As the officers make their way down West Broadway, they smile and wave at the people they meet. And for the most part, people returned their greetings. But the officers know not everyone is thrilled to seem them. On previous rounds, they have seen people stick up their middle fingers. Cashin said if people get more hostile than that, they can call for a car to come drive by or help out.

Tensions between some communities on the north side and police go back generations, and to this day simmer just below the surface.

The day before, north side resident Drew Edwards posted video from a confrontation with two other police officers sitting in an unmarked car on his Facebook page.

"You guys are actually not wanted in here, brother," he tells them.

At one point during the exchange, an officer seated in the car asks "What is that on your hip?" and then draws his gun, which does not appear to be pointed directly at Edwards. Edwards presses the officers and asks them what they are up to. One officer tells Edwards it's none of his business.

"It is my business, I'm a community member and you pull your gun on me," said Edwards excitedly. "Look at this dude has his gun on me!"

In a written statement, Harteau said the officers were members of the gang intervention team investigating shots-fired calls. Harteau said she reviewed body camera video taken by one of the officers, which shows Edwards had a sheathed knife on his hip. And there was another person behind him at the time. Given those factors, Harteau concluded the officers didn't violate department policy.

Harteau wants officers to respond to shots-fired calls and investigate other serious crimes. The chief also wants her officers, like Schroeder and Cashin, to make contacts with people that don't involve official law enforcement business.

About an hour into their patrol, Schroeder and Cashin get into a squad car and drive from West Broadway down to Glenwood Avenue. They check in at a convenience store on the corner of Glenwood and Penn avenues, which the officers say also has a problem with people hanging out in the store parking lot.

Inside, a man who identifies himself as Jeremiah tells officer Schroeder he's been drinking.

"But I don't drive," Jeremiah says.

"Good," Schroeder replies. "Don't drink and drive"

Says Jeremiah: "I walk."

After the officers chat and get their pictures taken with Jeremiah, they head off down the street. They hope these little stops help smooth relationships between community and police. Cashin said sometimes people want to voice complaints about interactions they've had with other officers.

"Obviously we weren't there. We don't know what happened or anything," Cashin said. "But just giving them the chance to vent helps and also builds report at the same time." Said Schroeder: "A lot of times we'll see the same people and so if we can build a positive relationship with them at one point — [if] we see them later, it might work out better for everybody."

The department's summer safety strategy also includes outreach to kids.

Schroeder notices some children wearing bike helmets and passes out coupons for free ice cream at Dairy Queen.

A woman riding with some of the kids notices the interaction from across the street and asks Cashin what happened.

"Nothing," Cashin said. "He's wearing his helmet so he gets some free ice cream."

Public information officer Corey Schmidt, who accompanied the officers, said that brief exchange is one of the main reasons why they walk out here. He said the woman's first reaction was to assume something bad was happening, because the police are around.

"And that's what the beat program — having more officers on the beat — is hoping to change, that perception. ... So they're just interacting — it's an everyday interaction, just saying hi to someone. That's what we're trying to do."

Correction (July 13, 2017): Matt Cashin's first name was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.

Editor's note (July 13, 2017): An earlier version of this story said the Drew Edwards video showed an officer drawing his gun but not pointing it at Edwards. To clarify, the gun does not appear to be pointed directly at Edwards..