Town hall session on crime planned

Talk about it

Red Wing Council member Dean Hove suggested at Monday’s City Council meeting that a town hall discussion be held to address the Red Wing’s recent murder.

The goal, Hove said, would be to curb fears and give citizens a chance to talk about the murder and related social issues.

“This would get it out so people can talk about this,” Hove said.

The rest of the council supported the idea, along with police Chief Tim Sletten.

Sletten said he will start organizing the meeting, but because his staff is busy in the wake of the murder investigation, it likely won’t materialize until late February.

Hove said the sooner the meeting happens the better, but he understands Sletten and his staff have a lot on their plate.

Besides giving people a forum to speak about the incident itself and related issues such as drug use and gang activity, council members hoped a town hall meeting would calm the nerves of residents.

“People are just plain shook up,” Council member Mike Schultz said.

Hove said he’s found a similar sentiment among locals and doesn’t want people in Red Wing to feel unsafe.

Sletten said while Red Wing is not immune to serious crime, it “is still a safe place.”

He also said that law enforcement is available to anyone at any time.

Sletten also asked the public to come forward with any information they might have about the murder, even if it seems unimportant.

No citizens spoke about the murder during the council’s public comment period.

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