MN Sends More Troopers To Curb Twin Cities Street Racing This Weekend

MINNEAPOLIS — The state of Minnesota will send more troopers to Minneapolis and the surrounding metro area this weekend in an effort to curb street racing and other illegal activity.

On July 8 and July 9, the State Patrol will assign 20 more troopers and aviation resources to the Minneapolis area for this purpose. The state also added more 911 dispatchers to be dedicated to the extra enforcement.

The 20 troopers are in addition to the high visibility patrol the state patrol is already conducting in the "high crime areas" of Minneapolis. The city will reimburse the state agency up to $400,000 for all expenses related to the extra patrols, based on an hourly rate.

"The State Patrol has been providing considerable resources to the Twin Cities through the summer, and that is what you will see again this weekend," said Col. Matt Langer, chief of the Minnesota State Patrol.

"The lawless and dangerous street racing we are seeing is unacceptable and must stop. The State Patrol will continue working hard to keep Minnesotans safe."

Meanwhile, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is also providing the city support with investigations and will receive $300,000 from the city. Under the agreement, the BCA has assigned 12 state investigators and one criminal analyst to conduct homicide and gun crime investigations in the Minneapolis area.