Starting Saturday, Minnesota is taking a more robust approach to investigating nonfatal shootings.
The Minnesota Clearance Grant Program financially supports law enforcement, prosecutors and crime analysts to investigate nonfatal shootings as soon as they are reported. The goal is to disrupt a cycle of violence before it escalates to a homicide.
The law was spurred by the success of a St. Paul Police Department initiative that doubled clearance rates for those crimes. The grant program has support from conservative and progressive nonprofits.
David Zimmer, policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, a think tank based in Minnetonka, was among the bill’s conservative advocates. He said it was “refreshing” to work with progressives to support the legislation.
“We're in divided times, and it's so important that we have common interests, and certainly solving more crime fit that bill,” he told MPR News.
Listen to the conversation by clicking the player above.