Columbia Heights’s new police chief, Lenny Austin, said he’s seen significant changes in law enforcement in his 22 years with the department.
“Our mission is crime reduction and public safety,” he said. “The way we achieve that has evolved through community policing efforts and local partnerships.”
Austin began as a patrol officer in February, 1995. He was a field training officer and patrol sergeant before being promoted to captain in 2008. He served as the interim chief after former chief Scott Nadeau resigned last summer. Last month, Columbia Heights Mayor Donna Schmitt named him police chief.
Partnerships, outreach, football
Austin said he plans to continue many of Nadeau’s initiatives, such as a youth outreach and the department’s commitment to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. (Many Heights officers participate in the program.) “We’re looking at expanding that program, and we want to work as mentors in the high school. The school district is one of our partners.”
Through the PALS program, officers play basketball with kids at the Highlander Center. “We had a basketball tournament at the end of the school year that was very well received,” Austin said. “It was fun to see the parents there. Jason Piehn, the school liaison officer, did a good job facilitating that program.”
The Columbia Heights Fire Department, headed by chief Gary Gorman and assistant fire chief John Larkin, has also been a long-time supportive partner to the police department, Austin said.
Other partners include Alexandra House, a 24-hour domestic and sexual violence emergency shelter in Blaine. “Domestic assault is a major issue in our community,” Austin said. “Alexandra House and the Anoka County attorney’s office help us with victim advocacy. They have changed how we handle our response to calls; through their involvement, people are getting help and services faster. The people at Alexandra House take victim safety very seriously. They’ve done great things, and have a true passion for helping crime victims. Thanks to them, we’ve seen a reduction in repeat instances. We’ve also seen a reduction in domestic assault cases.”
Heights, a first-ring suburb, has had its share of drug dealers and drug abusers. In dealing with the opioid epidemic, a collaboration with the Anoka County Attorney’s office and Anoka County CID (Crime Investigation Department) has proven effective. “We’ve seen several overdoses,” Austin said. “The county attorney and CID have been very aggressive in prosecuting the dealing of drugs. They track these overdoses and have been successful in building homicide cases. Our fire department [emergency medical technicians] has also been a very good backup; our officers and the EMTs carry Narcan [an opioid antidote] and are quick to respond.”
On a lighter note, Austin said he is looking forward to a major upcoming Twin Cities event in February: Super Bowl LII (52). “Minneapolis is hosting this major event, and has asked agencies from all over the state to provide assistance. We have a Joint Powers Agreement with Minneapolis, and will be sending two officers. As far as what they’ll be doing, that is up to the Minneapolis Police Department.
“It is really going to be an exciting time for the state,” Austin added. “It’s a world-wide event, the largest television event in the nation. We’re excited to have it in our backyard.”
The Circle Terrace community building
In 2015, the U.S. Attorney’s office charged six Minnesota men with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). One of them lived on Circle Terrace Boulevard in Columbia Heights.
According to city records, the Columbia Heights City Council subsequently approved—at Nadeau’s recommendation—construction of a community building on Circle Terrace. Its purpose would be to provide outreach and recreation services to first and second generation immigrants. It would also provide an opportunity for the community “to grow and overcome oppression and radicalization.” The community building is under construction, with completion expected by year’s end.
Austin said that over the years, the area has had crime and nuisance issues. “The majority of the housing is rental. Families come and go. We’re hoping for better stability. We want families to stay.” From a police perspective, he added, “We see the community building as an opportunity to help bring some of the resources and partners we use on a daily basis to a neighborhood that could benefit from it.”
The Columbia Heights School District, he said, is spearheading education efforts in the new community building.
Kristen Stuenkel, Columbia Heights’ Community Education Director, said her department is always seeking opportunities to provide programming close to people’s homes. At the Columbia Heights Library, they offer community education programs for parents and young children, such as “Yoga Calm” and “Baby Read, Baby Grow,” a toddler and pre-school story time.
“We were involved with the city’s presentation for the All-American City competition [which Columbia Heights won],” she said. “Through that, we had opportunities to understand the police outreach at Circle Terrace.” She said that a parent educator and Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) teacher plan to hold parent/child early childhood gatherings at Circle Terrace twice a month. “We have access to interpreters if necessary, and also have ECFE for English learners, if parents want to learn English as they do parenting.
“We’re super excited about it,” Stuenkel added. “We want to connect with the community any way we can.”
The department, the Mayor
Austin said the Columbia Heights Police Department has 27 full-time sworn officers; that number includes three women and 24 men. Two other women are community service officers. Most of the officers are white; two are Somalian and one is Ethiopian. They have no canine unit, although Fridley has two of them and can assist Heights if needed.
He said they will soon begin planning sessions for the 2018 Strategic Plan, and will reach out to stakeholders including neighborhood watch representatives, city council members, and police department staff for comments.
Mayor Schmitt said that after she hired Austin as police chief, several people told her that she made a good choice. “Lenny already knows what this community is like and in that respect, he has an advantage,” she added. “He is proving himself. I know he’ll do his best for the city.”
Below: Chief Lenny Austin (Photo by Gail Olson)
