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Following a violent confrontation at Lucy's saloon in St. Paul on
October 19, allegedly involving an off-duty St. Paul police officer who
is also the son of St. Paul Police Chief William Finney, OutFront
Minnesota has been in contact with key officials to express concern and
offer aid.
"OutFront Minnesota has been working in recent years to strengthen our
relationships to St. Paul officials, and this incident has offered a
chance to test those lines of communication," said OutFront Minnesota
Executive Director Ann M. DeGroot. "We have been in contact with the
Mayor's office, the City's Department of Human Rights, and St. Paul
Police, among others. We are confident at this time that it is the
City's intention to secure a full and fair investigation of the
incident, and to respond as the conclusions warrant."
"If it is true that this officer assaulted people while using comments
that suggest that his victims' sexual orientation was a motivating
factor, this is a bias crime we certainly cannot ignore," said OutFront
Minnesota Public Policy Director Monica Meyer. "Police misconduct must
always be addressed, and particularly when it also indicates that bias
is present. Our community, and the community as a whole, cannot tolerate
violence directed against people because of their sexual orientation or
other personal characteristics."
OutFront Minnesota has offered assistance to City officials in their
efforts to respond, and also invites community members with concerns or
information to contact the Anti-Violence Program at (612) 822-0127, ext.
101, to discuss the matter in confidence. The St. Paul Department of
Human Rights is also ready to take reports relating to this incident, by
phone at (651) 266-8966.
Letter From Mayor Randy Kelly
To OutFront Minnesota
October 22, 2003
As you are aware, a Saint Paul
Police Officer is currently under investigation facing allegations of
criminal misconduct involving a fight at Lucy's Saloon in St. Paul's
Frogtown neighborhood on Oct. 19. Witnesses have reported that the
officer used offensive language and assaulted at least one patron,
possibly because of their sexual orientation.
[...] Saint Paul takes
seriously our commitment to laws that protect people from hate and bias
crimes. Crimes that are committed against a person because of what they
look like, how they profess their faith, their sexual orientation, their
ethnicity, their age, national origin, sex or race are wrong and against
the law.
I am confident that the
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will conduct a comprehensive
and fair investigation, independent of any direct or perceived conflict
of interest with the Saint Paul Police Department.
[...] I want to assure you and
members of your organization that as mayor I will do all I can to ensure
that everyone who lives in, works in or visits Saint Paul feels safe and
welcome.
Sincerely,
Mayor Randy Kelly
City of Saint Paul
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