Minneapolis, MN
Hennepin County Jail overcrowded, 180 inmates to be moved
Hennepin County Jail overcrowded, 180 inmates to be moved
The Hennepin County jail has a functional capacity of 755 inmates.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the jail is now overcrowded and exceeds that limit. Officials are currently in the process of moving 180 inmates to two other jails in separate counties.
Witt said the inmate transfers are necessary to keep inmates and jail staff safe.
“You know, in terms of overtime and running at minimums, that’s not good for anyone. It’s not good for our incarcerated population. It’s not good for our people that are working in the jail day in and day out,” said Witt.
Witt said that if the current inmate trend continues, she would seek to build a new jail outside Minneapolis.
“So, if somebody asked me today, ‘Hey, what do you need?’ I would say we need a bigger jail and we would need to not be in downtown Minneapolis,” said Witt.
Witt also said she does not support releasing inmates to ease the overcrowding because 84% of the inmates have a violent criminal history.
“We have to have answers. But, I can tell you what, the answer shouldn’t be to allow people to terrorize the neighborhood because our jail is overpopulated,” said Witt.
Witt said Wright and Scott counties have agreed to accept some inmates but at least two more jails in other counties are still needed.
Minneapolis leaders are divided over whether to keep paying for ShotSpotter as the city weighs a new contract for the gunfire detection system.
A public hearing at City Hall focused on the technology as Minneapolis negotiates a new contract with SoundThinking, the company that provides ShotSpotter. Deputy Chief of Investigations Travis Riddle told the council the system supports gun violence strategies and can alert police no later than 60 seconds after shots are fired.
Critics at the hearing said the technology is not proven enough and argued the money could be spent in other ways. The proposed deal would cost $3.7 million through 2029 and would expand ShotSpotter into new areas of Minneapolis.
“We have actually had a contract with SoundThinking for their ShotSpotter services since 2014, and even with this technology for over 12 years now, MPD’s solve rates for homicides and non-fatal shootings were some of the worst in the country,” Council member Robin Wonsley said.
Council members pushed back on the long-term proposal and said they want a one-year deal instead. Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw disagreed with concerns raised by her colleague during the debate.
“In my opinion, and in folks I’ve heard from the North Side who have shown up here time and time again to say that we want this technology, we believe that ShotSpotter is a tool that the police use to save lives,” LaTrisha Vetaw said
City Council is set to take up the issue again on June 17. Minneapolis police are expected to return with a one-year contract instead of the three-year contract brought forward at the hearing.
Premiere vocal ensemble, Cantus is bringing the songs of Dolly Parton to the stage with fresh interpretations. The show will cover her classics like “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You.” Cantus Presents, COVERS: Dolly & Friends runs through June 7th at the Luminary Arts Center at 700 N 1st St. in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis police are investigating a hit-and-run that left a man seriously injured Tuesday afternoon.
The crash happened near Oliver Avenue North and Lowry Avenue North just before 2 p.m., according to the Minneapolis Police Department.
Investigators say an SUV struck another vehicle, which then collided with a motorcyclist. The driver of the SUV then fled the scene.
The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries. Police say the driver of the other vehicle was not injured.
No arrests have been made as of Tuesday night.
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