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Anti-gang unit spared for at least one more year
by Michael Khoo, Minnesota Public Radio
June 26, 2003

Public Safety commissioner Rich Stanek says despite the difficult budget, the administration has found resources to support initiatives like the strike force. (MPR Photo/Laura McCallum)

The state Gang Strike Force will continue to operate for at least another year. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced that public safety officials have found funds for the program after its budget was virtually eliminated last month in a $4.2 billion deficit-reduction plan. Senate Democrats, however, say funding for the strike force was jeopardized only because Pawlenty himself refused to consider new taxes while resolving the state's financial shortfall.

St. Paul, Minn. — The Gang Strike Force coordinates law enforcement agencies across the state to monitor, track, and investigate gang-related crimes. The program was created in 1997 and is responsible for roughly 700 arrests each year. Pawlenty says he was disappointed that last month's budget compromise essentially flattened the force's budget.

"So much of the crime in Minnesota is caused by repeat, chronic offenders, particularly the violent crime. And again, so many of those are gang members. As we talk about prioritizing our resources, as we talk about focusing our efforts, focusing our law enforcement efforts on gang members and gang activities is an important initiative for the state of Minnesota and our public safety," Pawlenty said.

	Sen. Jane Ranum

The new funding restores about half of the $3 million cut contained in the budget agreement. The governor says that will allow the program to function at least for the first year of the two-year budget cycle. The new funds come from administrative cuts at the Public Safety Department, proceeds from forfeited gang property, and a contribution from DFL Attorney General Mike Hatch's office.

Pawlenty leveled direct criticism at Senate DFLers for proposing to effectively zero-out the strike force budget. But Sen. Jane Ranum, DFL-Minneapolis, says the DFL proposal was in response to the governor's strict spending caps and his unwillingess to bolster state programs with tax increases.

"The communities in Minnesota, victims groups, the Gang Strike Force, you name it. In that public criminal justice bill that passed, there were a lot of victims that were held hostage to Gov. Pawlenty's no-new-tax pledge," she said.

Ranum says cutting the strike force budget was necessary to make room for other law enforcement programs, including the courts and victims services.

A piece of the sky just fell. And the govenror's trying to patch that up with duct tape and plastic sheets. And this is just a patchwork of trying to patch up a budget that's falling apart. It hasn't even gone into effect yet -- it's already falling apart. - Rep. Cy Thao

Rep. Cy Thao, DFL-St. Paul, echoed that response. Thao says Pawlenty shouldn't take credit for salvaging the strike force, saying it was the governor's hard line that threatened the program to begin with.

"A piece of the sky just fell. And the govenror's trying to patch that up with duct tape and plastic sheets. And this is just a patchwork of trying to patch up a budget that's falling apart. It hasn't even gone into effect yet -- it's already falling apart," he said.

Democrats have recently highlighted perceived public safety gaps as evidence that the governor's no-new-taxes pledge is weakening police and fire protection. But Pawlenty administration officials say protecting the Gang Strike Force demonstrates that just the opposite is true.

Public Safety commissioner Rich Stanek says despite the difficult budget, the administration has found resources to support initiatives like the strike force.

"We are here. We are not going away. That they're absolutely committed to fighting gangs in Minnesota. And we will find a way to continue this effort. We found a way for the next 12 months. We will work with the legislators in the next upcoming legislative session," according to Stanek.

Stanek says during next year's session, he wants to restore stable funding for the strike force. Under current proposals, strike force will continue to operate with 31 officers. Without any reductions, the force could have grown to 49 members. Stanek says he hopes that level can yet be achieved with contributions from local law enforcement agencies.

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