Walz talks about resources, tools for police officers at St. Cloud conference

Clairissa Baker
St. Cloud Times
Gov. Tim Walz speaks during the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association annual legislative conference Saturday, Feb. 29, 2019, at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.

ST. CLOUD — Gov. Tim Walz urged law enforcement to have their voices heard and spoke of providing more tools and resources to police officers during a conference Saturday morning in St. Cloud. 

"That's what gatherings today are about, to make sure that what you do and the services you deliver are done the best they can," Walz said. 

Walz was one of several state and federal lawmakers who spoke at the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association's annual legislative conference held at River's Edge Convention Center, 10 Fourth Ave. S. 

The conference was an opportunity for "those who make our laws to connect with those who enforce them on a daily basis," Executive Director Brian Peters said in a press release.

For many people, according to Walz, it can be easy to think things are working fine for police officers if they do not directly interact with them. 

Citizens need to be willing to make sure officers have the correct resources, according to Walz, whether that is added training, more officers, more predictable work schedules or other policies. 

Gov. Tim Walz talks with audience members following his speech at the  Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association annual legislative conference Saturday, Feb. 29, 2019, at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.

Walz encouraged officers to enter discussions that focus on public safety policies. 

"We're not going to shy away from having these conversations," Walz said, noting the statewide working group convened by Attorney General Keith Ellison and Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington on deadly force encounters. 

"But we darn sure better make sure that the recommendations that come out of that include the voices of the people in this room." 

"You don't get to plan them, you don't get to do them in the light of day, you don't get to analyze every single minutia of it," Walz said of deadly force encounters. "They happen spontaneously, and there's usually lives on the line when it happens." 

Gov. Tim Walz speaks during the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association annual legislative conference Saturday, Feb. 29, 2019, at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.

The working group released recommendations Monday for reducing police-involved deadly force encounters, including 28 recommendations and 33 action steps. The group — comprised of community, advocacy, law enforcement and academic stakeholders — completed six months of public sessions in Minnesota. 

Part of his job, Walz said, is to take the public's frustration and figure out how to work with it, but also to "make sure that the decisions we make are done with public safety. officer safety in mind." 

"Our goal with that working group is to build back that public will, build back that social contract that has always been there," Walz said. 

State and federal lawmakers spoke at the conference, and St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson provided the welcoming remarks. 

"We're very proud of our community here in St. Cloud," Anderson said. "We're very proud of the relationships that you built and then continue to cultivate." 

U.S. Republican Rep. Tom Emmer, representing the Minnesota Sixth Congressional District, said he has a special respect for peace officers, military men and women and first responders. 

"We're living at a time where there's incredible pressure and unnecessary criticism of public safety officers," Emmer said. 

Emmer said he is working on a variety of bills that will make sure officers have the resources and training they need to "safely handle people," as well as focusing on pensions provided to officers. 

Audience members listen as Gov. Tim Walz speaks during the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association annual legislative conference Saturday, Feb. 29, 2019, at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.

"You go to great lengths to make incredible sacrifices to protect and serve," Emmer said. "But I believe it's a majority of us still appreciate and respect and pray for you." 

Clairissa Baker is the public safety watchdog reporter for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-255-8740 or cmbaker@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @ClairissaBaker.

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