I wanted to take a few minutes today to share a story about the work our Minneapolis law enforcement officers did in conjunction with New York officers last Tuesday. Fortunately, this incident was resolved quickly and safely due to their professionalism.
As many of you may know, this April recognized the 20th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. And though law enforcement is always vigilant about preventing these crimes, Stearns County launched the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force in 2018 to better fight this exploitation.
The Blaine and Coon Rapids police departments recently hired Allison Miller as an embedded Mental Health Professional. Law enforcement officers are often called to help with mental health crises, and Allison’s role will assist officers and connect residents with resources in an effort to both ensure they get the support they need as well as decrease the number of repeat calls to law enforcement.
A few weeks ago, Captain Dan Anselment of the Wright County Sheriff’s Office retired after 33 years of service to the department. He was honored by the Wright County Board of Commissioners at their February 23rd meeting which can be viewed here. Throughout his career, Captain Anselment worked as a K-9 handler and in the Patrol and Operations Divisions before being promoted to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain.
A few weeks ago, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) was able to arrest and charge seven suspects with multiple counts pertaining to sex trafficking, solicitation of a minor, and other crimes. Five of the suspects are from Minnesota, and two are from out of state, signaling the nationwide nature of sex trafficking that makes it so difficult for law enforcement to detect and prosecute.