New police precinct commander and facility bring positive change to Northside
Two exciting changes in the 4th Precinct are taking place just in time for the New Year. Chief Dolan has appointed Inspector Lee Edwards as the new Precinct Commander, and the MPD is opening a new facility at the former Hamilton School site at 4119 Dupont Ave. N. Both of these events will have an important impact on policing and law enforcement in North Minneapolis.
Inspector Edwards has spent much of his Minneapolis police career working on the Northside. His most recent experience in the 4th Precinct was as a Sector Lieutenant under then Inspector Dolan. He returns to the 4th Precinct from the Homicide Unit which he has commanded for about the past year. Edwards is very glad to be back in the 4th Precinct where he already has great working relationships with many community members.
In a recent interview, originally published in the January Willard-Homewood Newsletter (WHN), Inspector Edwards expressed some of his thoughts about police work, literature and the Northside.
WHN - What is one thing that you would like 4th precinct residents to know about you?
LE - I’m really a nice guy...despite any outward appearances.
WHN - When you hear the term “community policing,” what is the first image that comes to mind?
LE - Actually I have two images, the first one is Andy Griffith. The second one is Cleavon Little. He was the Sheriff of Rockridge in Blazing Saddles.
WHN - What is your favorite TV police drama of all time and why?
LE - The Wire. It’s a show on HBO. In my opinion the best cop show on TV bar none! Even though the series is set in Baltimore, it illustrates how politics, morals and crime can sometime morph into an incestuous relationship. There are no clear winners in this show, everyone has an angle and the good cops and citizens struggle to just get their basic needs addressed so they can do their jobs and survive.
WHN - What is your favorite memory of living on the Northside?
LE - I grew up in Detroit, Michigan. That’ll always be home for me...even though I’ve been living in Minnesota for about 30 years now. But hey, once a Detroiter, always a Detroiter. But to answer your question, one of my favorite memories of the Northside was with my old partner Dave Roiger. We were called to address a problem of kids playing football in the street. I think it was on or near the 1600 block of Sheridan. Anyway, Dave and I parked our squad, took our gunbelts off and joined the kids in the football game. Hey, you should have seen the look on those boys. One moment they thought we were going to arrest them and the next moment they’re running deep for a long fly ball. We had a great time that day, laughing, sweating and playing two-hand touch in the street. It brought me back to my childhood in Detroit. Better yet, Dave and I made a few friends, told the kids to watch out for cars and asked them to wrap the game up in a half an hour. They promised they would. Funny thing though, we were called to the precinct right after we cleared this call. Someone from the neighborhood called to complain about us. I guess they didn’t like the service they got.
WHN - When did you first realize that you wanted to go into law enforcement?
LE - My first day in rookie school. I got bit by the “Cop Bug.”
WHN - What is the last really memorable book you read - and what was great about it?
LE - Oh that’s a hard one. I’m a voracious reader. Everything from comics to cookbooks. But the last really memorable books I read were Long Walk to Freedom, the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. (I was a part of his body guard staff when he came to Minneapolis. I never met a more gracious man. Everyone else pales in comparison.) And for fiction, it’s the Belgariad series by David Eddings. Full of wizards, magic and heroism.
WHN - What is one thing that you wish all Minnesotan’s understood better about the Northside?
LE - Despite all the crap you hear or read from the mainstream media, the people who live and work on the Northside are like mountain flowers; resilient and beautiful.
The other big change for the Precinct is the relocation of several police units to the former Hamilton School site at 41st and Dupont. Commanding the new facility will be Captain Mike Martin, Commander of the Special Operations Division. Other units moving to the Hamilton site will be the SWAT Team, STOP Unit, Homeland Security, Police Reserves, Training Unit, SAFE Central and the Police Athletic League. In all there will be about 100 officers assigned to and working out of the Hamilton site. In addition to the officers there will be about 15 civilian police employees and 10 members of the City Inspections staff working there. Many of the units will be moving into Hamilton School in mid-January and the entire staff should be operating there by the end of February.
“We are very excited about moving into such a great neighborhood,” Captain Martin said. “We have already been able to attend the Holiday on 44th celebration and have met many of the neighbors. I believe that our presence will help keep the area safe and will help deter crime, both through the presence of officers and through the improved relationships with the community. I also know that the officers will take ownership in the neighborhood.”
The move to Hamilton School benefits the department in several ways. All of the units moving to Hamilton School have been borrowing space or operating out of substandard facilities. This move will provide a precinct location for the Special Operations Division and will give units like the Police Athletic League better facilities for serving kids. It will also allow the department to save money in a number of areas related to rent for offices and training facilities.
“I hope that the residents will be excited to have the officers in the neighborhood,” said Martin. “This is an excellent way to make use of an empty building and provide an opportunity for officers to interact more closely with the community. I also want the families in the neighborhood to know that we are committed to keeping the playground and playfields maintained and open to everyone in the community.”
Welcome to the 4th Precinct Captain Martin, and welcome back Inspector Edwards! It’s good to have you here.