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Minneapolis Police Department Reports Increased Hostility Toward Officers

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minneapolis Police Department says officers are routinely walking into hostile situations and crime scenes where they are not welcome. It happened at least twice last night alone.

Now, police officers are pleading for cooperation, as others double down asking for systematic change.

When Minneapolis police were called to a shooting near the George Floyd memorial Friday night, officers were met with resistance, and had trouble getting to the man who needed help. And police say this is not an isolated incident.

"This is really been in the last three to three-and-a-half weeks that we're really seeing an uptick in this sort of violence towards officers," John Elder said.

Just before midnight Friday, as officers made their way to a man with a self-inflicted gunshot wound near 38th and Chicago, it was clear some did not want them there.

"We had somebody actually grab ahold of an officer's gun, and thats a felony, and at that point additional officers were called in," Elder said.

Around the same time Friday, more officer resistance was reported at a different shooting scene.

"As officers arrived there were two people shot, and people were coming out and impeding officers from getting to the victims and getting information about who our suspect was," Elder said.

Minneapolis police says officers recently had to shield other officers to administer Narcan to a victim without a pulse. This protective work is becoming more routine.

"We're doing more and more escorts for the fire department into hostile areas. We've had people try to pull victims away from paramedics," Elder said.

MAD DADS president VJ Smith says change is key to achieving harmony in the city.

"For so many years there's been too much abuse, and people are fed up. So this is what we have to deal with, and it's unfortunate," Smith said. "It's important that we have systematic change, and until then everybody's going to keep using every little opportunity they get to make sure the world sees and the world knows that people are fed up."

But until that change comes, police are pleading for cooperation.

"People ask for police reforms and we are looking hard and fast at that. And reforms that are coming will be deep and structural. We need the people's help, we need the community's help to allow us to do our jobs," Elder said.

Minneapolis police also mentioned tonight that they are seeing a quick uptick in violent crime. The department says that usually happens in the summer but noted that this is a faster increase than what they're used to seeing.

WCCO asked Minneapolis City Council members if they had a statement and did not hear back.

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