SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Saying all Minnesotans deserve to be safe in their homes, communities, and workplaces, Senator Karla Bigham (DFL – Cottage Grove) and Senator Matt Klein (DFL – Mendota Heights) announced that they will press several measures during the upcoming legislative session to provide communities with the resources they need to improve public safety.

The two Senators said they plan to collaborate with law enforcement, social service providers, and victim advocates on efforts to improve recruitment and retention of police officers, expand community policing, improve technology to allow data sharing between departments, and enhance funding for forensic testing at Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. They also will work to expand juvenile justice and youth intervention programs as well as increase penalties for assaults on frontline medical workers.

“Every Minnesotan deserves to feel safe in their community, no matter where they live, work, or go to school,” said Senator Karla Bigham. “The increase in violence throughout our communities across Minnesota is unacceptable. We need to address the root causes, and those responsible for committing these crimes must be held accountable. This upcoming session, we will work collaboratively with local law enforcement officials to improve the recruitment and retention of police officers through additional educational opportunities, enhanced bonuses, and expansion of the LETO program, which offers a non-traditional avenue to become a police officer. I am committed to working in a bipartisan fashion to make these necessary changes.”

Effort to Protect Frontline Health Care Workers “The number of assaults on frontline health care workers has dramatically increased throughout the pandemic, and this issue needs to be addressed with serious action,” said Senator Matt Klein. “This session, I will introduce a bill to increase penalties for individuals who assault or threaten a health care worker, regardless of whether the assault or threat takes place in a healthcare setting. Our state’s health care workers have protected us for the past two years, and now it is time for us to protect them.”