Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher (CBS News)
ST. PAUL, Minn. KFGO WCCO) – President Donald Trump says Chicago will likely be the next target of his efforts to crack down on crime, homelessness and illegal immigration. Trump indicated that the Midwestern city could receive similar treatment to what he’s done in Washington, D.C., where he’s deployed 2,000 troops on the streets.
“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House, later adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”
And as Trump considers deploying the Guard to other major Democratic-leaning cities, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher says thanks – but no thanks.
“I would say, ‘Mr. President, we appreciate any help, we actually don’t need the National Guard.’ We just need our governor to help mobilize other law enforcement in Minnesota and our emergency management, but if you send them, we’ll find something for them to do,” Fletcher said Monday at the Minnesota State Fair.
Fletcher did say there are times where the National Guard can be an invaluable resource.
“Certainly riots or major disturbances, but generally speaking, the way Minnesota works is that we activate all law enforcement in the area regionally and then statewide,” he says. “And see if we can handle the problem then before we call out the National Guard. There’s a triage system that goes in place.”
Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with Black mayors and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy.
Could the same be done in Minneapolis? It certainly fits the profile of the cities Trump is targeting. There have been struggles containing crime since COVID, and the department losing around 300 officers following the George Floyd riots in 2020.
Fletcher says even though he believes Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara is doing a great job recruiting and refilling the ranks, he’d like to see officers from other departments and the State Patrol assigned to help the MPD until it’s fully-staffed.
“They need 150 cops because they lost 300. Yeah, and Chief O’Hara is doing a great job,” Fletcher says.
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