Talking Points - Hennepin County Attorney • Talking Points-Hennepin County Attorney
• The City of Hopkins is concerned about
recommendations from the Criminal Justice Forum
headed by the Chief Judge. The first initiative is the
call for the County Attorney to assume more duties for
misdemeanor cases now handled by City Attorneys; we
understand this has been tabled for now. Do you
support this?
o There are several other initiatives that would
require additional data entry or increased
computer record keeping for city staff. We hope
that cost would be measured and discussed before
implementation.
• Keeping Ridgedale Court open is important for our staff
and for our residents. Do you see any problems that
• will cause this facility to close in 2010?
• The focus on gang prosecutions as well as proactive
investigation and prosecution of gang leaders by the
County Attorney's staff has been a big help for the
Police Department in dealing with this problem, we
hope that will continue.
• Expungement orders continue to take an increased
level of staff time for the City Attorney and Police
Department. We know they are usually sought so that
someone can get a particular job and that some groups
run free clinics to help convicted persons file for
expungements. Hopkins has opposed all cases
requesting the expungement of criminal convictions
from our files. What is the status of efforts to derail
this problem?
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• • The problems of the former Metro Gang Strike Force
has caused the Public Safety Commissioner to withhold
funds for the NW Metro Drug Task Force, despite the
fact that it meets all the proposed guidelines for Board
control and management, supervision, evidence and
audit oversight. This small task force helps deal with
quality of life issues in our community, what can you do
to help release that needed funding for this group?
• We are grateful for the close working relationship
between the County Attorney' staff and the Police
Department on major felony cases especially murder
cases. It is important to this community to see you
beside the Police Chief, as you have done in the past,
to announce charges in major cases. Thank-you
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