Friends and neighbors,
We are all distinctly aware of the rise in crime in the Twin Cities and its suburbs. This can be even more clearly seen through the alarming data found in the 2021 Uniform Crime Report that was recently released by the Walz administration.
In 2021, violent crime rose across Minnesota by a shocking 21.6%, which was greatly due to the 23.9% increase that occurred in seven-county Twin Cities region. The rise in violent crime, however, was not exclusive to the metropolitan area, as greater Minnesota also experienced a 16% increase.
Additionally, there were 201 murders in Minnesota in 2021 – an 8.65% increase. This can be compared to the 185 murders that occurred in our state in 2020. Another staggering statistic is that there were 10,967 aggravated assaults in 2021, which is 33.7% higher than 2020.
Crimes related to motor vehicle were also on the rise in 2021. At an 8.5% increase, 14,829 vehicles were stolen in 2021 – the highest total since 2001 – as compared to the 13,662 in 2020. Further, there were 779 carjacking incidents in 2021. It is important to note that carjacking data was collected for the first time this year and these incidents are not counted as motor vehicle thefts.
Each of these new data points are equally troubling and indicate that, under the governor’s authority, violent crime is on the rise in Minnesota. My Senate Republican colleagues and I understand how vital it is to address our state’s surge in volent crimes, and that is why we prioritized public safety during this year’s legislative session.
We put forward a strong, comprehensive public safety bill that recognized the importance of supporting our law enforcement officers to keep our communities safe. It also toughened penalties for criminal activity and increased transparency and accountability in judicial and prosecutorial actions.
However, the 2022 legislative session closed without the passage of a public safety bill – even though it was passed by the Republican Majority in the Senate. During final negotiations at the end of session, House Democrats were ultimately unable to compromise and would not move on their position on public safety – support for unproven non-profits instead of support for law enforcement officers. This is a stance my Senate Republicans and I are unable to support.
And now, the crime report demonstrates just how severely Gov. Walz’s public safety policies have failed our state and put Minnesotans at risk. It is critical to ensure that Minnesotans can once again feel safe in their own communities, and that is why I strongly believe that public safety must be the Legislature’s top priority.
Contact me
As always, if have questions or concerns on any legislative topic, feel free to contact me any time. You can call me at 651-296-5655 or send me an email at sen.mary.kiffmeyer@senate.mn. It is a privilege to serve as your state senator.
Sincerely,
Mary