Kendall Qualls: Restoring safety and leadership in Minnesota

In October 2009, Forbes magazine rated Minneapolis as the safest city in America with the best quality of life. Today, that reality feels like a distant memory. Only a strong leader from outside the political establishment can fix what’s broken — and I’m determined to be that leader as the next governor of Minnesota.

Just recently, 120 car break-ins occurred in a single night, in one city. That story made headlines across Minnesota, stirring concern among residents already on edge about rising crime. Yet Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has announced plans to cut overtime for the already-understaffed police department. And still, Democrats like Tim Walz want you to believe that President Trump’s decision to call in the National Guard to protect our nation’s capital was wrong.

After watching blue-state Democrats sit back and let criminals and chaos run our cities, President Trump is trying to restore a sense of safety and security — a responsibility Democrats have seemingly abdicated over the last decade. President Trump has made it clear that law and order will save America, and I intend to do just that for Minnesota.

Minneapolis is now witnessing pre-teens, some as young as 11 years old, stealing cars in the middle of the night. Families are afraid to unload groceries in their own driveways. As governor, I will put an end to soft-on-crime policies and “reimagined policing” efforts that prioritize hiring social workers over maintaining a properly staffed police force. The days of excuses will be over.

Whether you live in North Minneapolis or Wayzata, public safety matters. Minnesotans deserve to know their kids are safe walking to the bus stop. They should feel secure going downtown at night with friends without fearing muggings or carjackings.

After years of failed leadership from Democrats like Tim Walz who’ve ceded control to criminals, turning once-vibrant cities like Minneapolis into economic ghost towns, it’s time to elect adults who understand that public safety transcends political parties. A robust economy and a vibrant, fun city depend on safety and a visible police presence.

That’s why, under my administration, we’ll recruit, train, and deploy 500 new state-level law enforcement officers to help restore order and normalcy to the Twin Cities. In addition, we will implement a curfew for minors under the age of 17 to ensure our youth are home safe, not out on the streets risking involvement in or becoming victims of crime. I promise to take our streets back from the violent criminals who have been emboldened under Tim Walz’s leadership.

Let’s be honest: this should have happened five years ago. Ask yourself — would a good leader abandon his city and let it burn for days before intervening? Or would he do everything in his power to restore law and order and send a clear message that crime will not be tolerated? The truth is, Tim Walz’s failure was on full display in 2020. He waited three whole days before taking any meaningful action.

And five years later, we’re still paying the price. Businesses have left, families are moving out, and Minneapolis has become synonymous with the “defund the police” movement; a movement that only emboldened more criminal activity. Just like in Washington, D.C., and so many other cities mismanaged by far-left Democrats.

I won’t abandon you the way our current governor has. Families deserve safe neighborhoods. Our children should be able to play outside without fear. I’m ready to do the hard work needed to restore our communities and bring Minneapolis back to its former glory — a vibrant, thriving city where everyone feels safe and welcome.

Kendall Qualls is a conservative candidate for governor, U.S. Army veteran, and former business leader. He is also the founder and president of TakeCharge, an organization devoted to uniting Americans of all backgrounds around a shared history and common set of beliefs.

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