Ken Sherman, the owner of Seven in Minneapolis, talked with News Talk 830 WCCO’s Chad Hartman to discuss the city’s crime issues and his thoughts about the Minneapolis Police Department.
In an interview with Twin Cities Business earlier this month, Sherman was quoted saying, “This city is run by gangs. The only thing a bad guy is afraid of is a badder guy.”
Sherman defended this quote when talking with Hartman, explaining that people who have bad intentions can not be persuaded to stop unless they are met by someone who causes a threat to them.
When it comes to criminals being met by police in Minneapolis, Sherman doesn’t see it happening.
“I’m on a rooftop on Hennepin and Seventh. I can be on that rooftop on a Saturday night and get there at 9 or 10 p.m. be there till 2-2:30 a.m. and never see a police car and absolutely never see a policeman walking down the street,” Sherman said. “The only police we see are off-duty cops hired by other bars or restaurants.”
Other restaurant and bar owners in the city have also come out agreeing with Sherman’s comments that they never see police officers when it’s a prime time for people to come down to Minneapolis.
Sherman thinks that this has hurt the city as he sees fewer people from the sub burbs coming into the city for nightlife. Where they may have come out for dinner after their evening plans, they instead go home, Sherman said.
However, Sherman doesn’t see this being an issue with the Minneapolis Police Department; he sees a problem elsewhere in the city.
“The moment that the city council condemned an entire group of men, many of whom have devoted years of their life to keep us safe, and said that they were systemically racist and they should be abolished, they destroyed the morale of the MPD,” Sherman said.
“Now what you hear about is how 250 members of the police force have left, but that’s okay now according to the politicians because now they are going to fund to get more cops.”
Sherman, however, sees 250 officers who had experience and were dedicated to the betterment of the city.
“In terms of them being systemically racist, I take issue with that,” Sherman stated. “There certainly are members of the police force who are racist; there are members of the realtors association who are racist; there are members of every organization that are racist.”
The issue he takes is condemning thousands of officers for the actions of one “awful person. ”
Sherman went on to share how members of the police force are scared of being sued or losing their jobs if they do the wrong thing while interacting with the public. He also shared that many of them are afraid they may be shot.
“If a cop gets shot, nobody seems to care,” Sherman said.
When it comes to sharing his thoughts with the city, Sherman doesn’t try anymore. He talked about past interactions trying to reach out and hearing nothing back.
“I don’t talk to the city,” he said. “I don’t talk to the politicians. I’ve given up. There’s no point.”
Sherman finds himself using upwards of 15 security men; they wave wands and pat down customers, as well as other security measures to make sure that no one getting in will cause any trouble.
“We just know [the police] aren’t coming, so we do it ourselves, and we’re fine with that,” Sherman said.
*story by Audacy
