Inspector Charlie Adams in the same Hawthorne Huddle meeting described a sad and dangerous scenario of fentanyl addicts on West Broadway. “There were two bus stops on Broadway and Lyndale and what people driving through saw were bus shelters jam-packed with people smoking the drug out in broad daylight. They don’t care,” he said. “But with the assistance of Metro Transit and 4th Precincts Community Liaison Bill Magnuson, we were able to get those two shelters temporarily removed, which was honestly required an act of God. So, they went on over to the other side where Cub Foods is and continued.”
“When we move people from one location, they’re going to pop up someplace else. We are aware that now they are selling drugs out of their cars. Instead of sitting in front of Merwin and 626, they have a path of concentration including a house over on 21st we believe to be a place of smokers’ gatherings. Bill Magnuson is dealing with that problem as we speak. This new drug is an out-of-control monster, and we have to stay on top of it.”
When asked about bringing back the Drug Task Force, Adams explained that the department was down 300 officers, and until they could get the numbers up with qualified personnel, there were going to be a lot of critical issues needing to be addressed that could not happen, not just yet. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t trying, especially getting back to community engagement, he said.
Adams said the is difference between Micky’s Liquors, on Plymouth Avenue, and Merwin Liquors is that Micky’s has off-duty police officers working there and a staff person who employed to keep the area clean. MPD has had several meetings with Winners, prompting the hiring of security at night.
We Push for Peace has made a big difference, he said. “Along with ATF and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department, we all partnered in what we call Operation Endeavor.”
“It’s a public safety initiative based on visibility of uniformed officers. It has been doing great work taking on some of the bad guys. I can see a significant reduction with some of the addicts out there because of our efforts of intercepting these packages of fentanyl pills. So, we’re going to continue to do that with the help of the DEA, ATF, and our CERT teams and weapons unit. We’re putting a pretty big hit on the fentanyl fields,” Adams said.
Residents will see more squad cars and officers coming in on their days off just being present in those parking lots including AutoZone and Walgreens.
Adams said he was a young officer back in the crack days and when addicts were walking around like zombies. Sadly, he said, the Minneapolis Police Department has no narcotics enforcement units. “We have to use our weapons teams as best we can,” he said. “And we keep getting these pills off the street by charging some of the sellers. Hopefully, we can keep doing what we’ve been doing. It took a while to get lowering statistics in the crack epidemic. What we really need are the professionals who deal with addictions to at least offer services. Most of the specialists will say it’s too dangerous!”
Adams says he will not arrest an addict. “With the problems they already have, jail is not an option. Until the city and the addiction professionals figure out a way to get funding for treatment to those struggling, there will continue to be folks walking around in higher numbers living in a dark and different world.”
“I want to use whatever human resources we have at our disposal to get these pills off the street. I want to make those arrests. I want to let more addicts know there is hope and services available. They don’t have to take the help, but at least know it’s there for them,” Adams said.
