While I'm certainly not quite with Jim on the zero-tolerance (I like my scotch), I do think he raises a good point.

It is a foolish decision to get drunk in an area where these things are likely to occur. If you want to get bombed in your living room, it's one thing...

But to purposely decrease your cognitive function, motor skills, and decision-making ability in public, ESPECIALLY in an area where assaults are known to occur...

Not a good lifestyle choice.

-Mark

Anyone want to go baiting this weekend?


We'll wear helmets.

WEELLL Now! That is one way to bring the crime rate down. It isn't a crime if it doesn't get reported & have to go into that nasty UCR database.

My thought exactly. I really, really want to know which police department discouraged making a report.

I was thinking the exact same thing, Macx. After all, we have been told crime is way down in MPLS, maybe that is how they are doing it; just convinence victims not to file a report, then no crime occured. Hey, if MPD can plant weapons & steal property, why not lower crime stats while they are at it.

I'll ride shotgun.

-Mark

For crying out loud, kindly get off you high horse Jim. I didn't read anywhere in the orginal post where the victim had been drinking. And where drinking is a legal activity would having a drink make them less of a VICTIM when they have been assaulted

You are correct that he should have been a bit more aware of his surroundings, but from what I'm told, he was not mindlessly staring at the ground or letting his mind wander the way some people do. And his mind had not been clouded by any kind of alcohol. In fact, he told me that after seeing the black guys crowding the sidewalk in front of him, he was going to move to the other side of the road to get away from them, not because he's got an issue with blacks, but because he wanted to avoid the large crowd of loitering youths, just in case there might be any trouble. However, because he then noted there were so many gang members on both sides of the street, he said that he could not figure out how to get away from them soon enough. It was at this time when he was thinking about how to avoid them that he got clocked out of nowhere.

This matches a report I had heard several months back about a similar beating in the same area. Two students were walking down University Ave (had not been drinking) and by the time they noted a large group of blacks on the side of the road, it was too late. The main victim suffered such a severe head injury that the nerve between one of his eyes and his brain got severed and he lost his sight. He came very close to death and it sounded like his buddy had to drag his body out of traffic because he had been hit so violently, that he had been thrown into the road.

To repeat myself, no alcohol was involved at all. My buddy is certainly not one of those idiot drunks on campus. He's a very sensible guy.




I'll try to find out which department was involved and let you guys know as soon as I can. It has been outrageous to witness how incredibly sloppy the police are near campus. Also, I learned recently from a guy who applied for the UMPD that until the most recent group of applicants, the police department did NOT have any physical requirements at all. You just had to fill out some forms and get through an interview.

I think Jim was making reference to the comment from peter94 about the campus area violence on the rise in the Mankato area.

Let’s see, we can’t arm ourselves because we might be expelled. We can’t fight back because it may bring on an even bigger beating. The police won’t do anything or even let you file a report. We can’t give an accurate description of the attackers because we might be accused of racial profiling. We can’t even count on the safety of a crowded street anymore because these misguided youth know they have nothing to be afraid of. Yep, it’s a wonderful world we have created.

I'm telling you, let's grab some helmets and go trolling for a beating.

I think you'd be better served to grab some video cameras and go trolling for an exclusive.

Agreed, NEVER let an officer talk you out of making a report. That's where all the crime statistics come from - AND how LEO Agencies decide where to focus patrols. (Dinkytown being a high-crime area? They'll focus more in that area. Not much crime up by The Quarry? They'll not worry about putting the extras up there.)

University Police Chief—Greg Hestness, 100 TSB 625-3454

University Police Deputy Chief—Chuck Miner, 100 TSB 624-0525

To file a report with UMPD, your friend should call 612-624-COPS (2677)