Mayor Rybak, Chief Harteau Meet with President Obama in Minneapolis in Fight Against Gun Violence
Discussed Minneapolis model with President, Attorney General Holder, Governor Dayton, members of Congress and community and law-enforcement leaders
February 4, 2013 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Police Chief Janeé Harteau met with President Obama in Minneapolis today to discuss Minneapolis’ record of reducing gun violence and youth violence, and to offer their support of his common-sense proposals for ending gun violence.
Mayor Rybak and Chief Harteau joined President Obama for a roundtable discussion that included U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Governor Mark Dayton, members of Congress and a variety of grassroots, community and law-enforcement stakeholders in the fight to end gun violence.
“President Obama gave a great speech today, but the most important thing he did was listen — for nearly an hour — to people who day after day, are building peace on our streets. He knows that they, and all Americans, can help everyone in Washington understand that we need commonsense laws that make all of us safer,” Mayor Rybak said.
“Unfortunately, gun violence is not new to Minneapolis — but fortunately, neither are our innovative efforts to end it. There is not one simple solution to ending gun violence, but all solutions are rooted in partnership. And fortunately, one of our greatest partners in the fight is President Obama, who supports law enforcement, understands the complexity of gun violence, and has the courage to seek out and implement solutions,” Chief Harteau said.
Minneapolis has been a leader for many years in the fight against gun violence.
- Since 2008, Minneapolis’ Youth Violence Prevention initiative has, among other results, helped reduce the number of incidents involving youth and guns by 66 percent and the number of youth injured by guns by 41 percent.
- Minneapolis police, under the leadership of Chief Harteau and former Chief Tim Dolan, place a high priority on solving gun crime and answering the question, “Where did the gun come from?” and “Who is arming our kids?”
- Minneapolis Police partner closely with the offices of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones to bring the most violent gun offenders to justice and work to ensure that they receive the harshest penalties possible.
- Mayor Rybak is spearheading an initiative among many U.S. mayors to look into using cities’ purchasing power of guns and ammunition as a way to enlist gun and ammunition manufacturers in the fight to reduce gun violence.
- Mayor Rybak recently co-hosted, with Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee, a first-of-its-kind Regional Gun Summit in Minneapolis, which brought together around 100
- Mayor Rybak is a longtime member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
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Published Feb. 4, 2013