Back in March, Hennepin County commissioner Marion Greene stated during a board meeting that, “I’m going to reveal my cards, I’m not willing to fund the sheriff to provide public safety for Hennepin County. I don’t think that is something that office can take on and do well.”
The statement understandably drew a great deal of concern from stakeholders, amplified in several media reports. A group of 41 police chiefs and mayors from across the county issued a scathing letter critical of Greene’s inexcusable lack of understanding about the critical role the Sheriff’s Office plays in providing public safety.
The Hennepin County Sheriff also responded to Green’s statement by clarifying the role of the sheriff.
“This role is also not optional. It is grounded in Minnesota law. Sheriffs have a statutory obligation to ‘keep and preserve peace’ within their counties. Our office works in close partnership with city police chiefs, agencies, and community stakeholders every day to ensure coordinated, effective service across jurisdictions. From operating the jail and providing court security, to leading investigations, supporting emergency response, and partnering on major incidents, the Sheriff’s Office plays a critical and longstanding role in the broader public safety system. There are endless real examples of our crucial role in supporting public safety. Without the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office deputies’ support, our public safety infrastructure would not be able to function. Every single week, our deputies respond to emergencies by necessity and at request, allowing local police officers to continue to respond to 911 calls within their jurisdictions. That duty has long defined this office and underscores the essential role we play alongside our law enforcement partners. I appreciate the recognition from those Mayors and Chiefs who represent Hennepin County residents.”
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt
I attempted to voice my concerns with commissioner Greene’s comments at the monthly public comment session at yesterday’s board meeting. Despite arriving an hour before the meeting, I was denied access to speak while the board allowed a protest group, complete with hunger strikers in wheelchairs, to monopolize the entire 30-minute session. “Democracy” in action.
I followed up by sending the following comments to each of the commissioners via the board clerk’s office.
“Chair Fernando and Commissioners,
My name is David Zimmer. I retired as a Hennepin County Sheriff’s Captain in 2021, after serving 33 years. I’ve served the past 4 years as the Public Safety Policy Fellow with Center of the American Experiment.
Public safety is near and dear to my heart. As such, I was disheartened last month to hear Commissioner Greene publicly assert that she was unwilling to fund the Sheriff’s Office in its effort to provide for public safety in Hennepin County.
The comments represented a significant misunderstanding of the important role the Sheriff’s Office plays in providing for public safety.
The duties of the Sheriff go far beyond the jail and court security – they always have and always will – and that’s grounded in statute. The sheriff’s office is critical in providing for intelligence-based policing, and for coordinating multi-jurisdictional crime fighting efforts across the County. The suggestion that these efforts can simply be absorbed by local police departments is simplistic and problematic.
So much so that over 40 police chiefs and mayors from across the county responded in unison. They said it well when they described public safety in Hennepin County as a “shared responsibility” – one in which the sheriff’s office plays an indispensable part.
This is especially true in our county seat, where the violent crime rate in 2025 remained 27% higher than it had been in 2018. As a result, despite representing just 7% of the state’s population, Minneapolis represents 49% of all murders, 51% of all car thefts, 53% of all robberies, and 72% of all car jackings in the entire state.
Hennepin county needs more from our Sheriff’s office, not less. More presence, more resources, and more coordination – all things you can provide through clear eyed and unwavering support for public safety.”
The letter is unlikely to receive a response, but those who value public safety can be assured that commissioner Greene has been made aware of her misstep, and the fact her comments were both poorly concieved and poorly received.
