Community Policing Agreement Review Slated For June

(KNSI) – A review of the St. Cloud Community Policing Agreement will begin on June 15th.

An annual update on the document was held Thursday with most of the meeting focusing on a presentation from Chief Jeff Oxton and Assistant Chief Brett Mushatt. Oxton says the department takes the agreement seriously and stresses that it is a pact that goes both ways.

“I think it is important for the community to know that we rely on the community to help us solve community problems. And we do that through them knowing what the issues are we’re seeing and where they can be helpful and I think establishing those relationships and understanding the roles and the issues are huge.”

Oxton talked about current problems facing the community, including dangerous drugs like fentanyl and mental health calls. He also talked about the upward trend in shootings and the difficulty in recruiting new officers. The meeting also featured questions and concerns from the community on a variety of topics.

Regarding mental health calls, the numbers have soared from 583 incidents in 2018 to 1,039 last year. Oxton says the issues mentioned create the need for some lighthearted moments for officers, like that provided by the Community Outpost and other events.

“And, so, through community engagement and having events and working with kids and taking kids sledding and doing all the things that we do, the activities… They get to see kids and parents. It really becomes a healthy balance for the officers as well.”

Department personnel run basketball, fishing, hockey, and soccer clinics, plus other events. Oxton says it is important to highlight that balance as finding new hires has become very difficult in recent years.

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