Over a three evening span starting on Tuesday, August 18, and ending on Thursday, unidentified "black" helicopters of the US Department of Defense flew over downtown Minneapolis and hovered low over some neighborhoods, causing worry among residents and prompting calls to 911.
It would seem that the only notification of the public was on the MPD Facebook page.
Formal consent was apparently handled through Mayor Betsy Hodges' office and the MPD. The Minneapolis City Council was not aware of this military training event until it was in progress, according to Heidi Ritchie, Jacob Frey's aide.
There are a number of reasons to be concerned about this event.
The secrecy surrounding it, from the mayor's lack of consultation with the City Council to the failure of the police to communicate with the public, has further eroded the public trust. It is time for some accountability from our public officials.
If you were affected by this misuse of power by supposed leaders in our cities, please call the mayor and/or your City Council representative to complain.
Mayor Hodges (612 673 2100)
Mayor Coleman (Staff Contact: 651 266 8510)
St Paul Councilman Dave Thune has already registered disapproval. His number is 651 266 8620.
You may also go to the city websites to send an email to the mayor and/or Council member.
**********************************************************
Black Helicopters Over Twin Cities Have Some Asking Questions
August 19, 2014 10:33 PM
Kim Johnson
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A military training exercise has some in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul looking to the skies and asking questions.
It’s a scene that looks straight out of an action movie. This week, a handful of low-flying black helicopters are buzzing just over rooftops and in between buildings.
They’re called Night Stalkers, or more formally, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment out of Fort Campbell Kentucky.
But what they’re training for here in Minnesota is as stealth as their choppers appear.
The Department of Defense is in charge of the operation while Minneapolis and St. Paul police are playing a supportive role. But none of the departments will comment on the mysterious mission, only apologizing for “any alarm or inconvenience the training may cause,” according to statement by Minneapolis police.
According the Night Stalkers website, secrecy is the name of their game. Their motto, to “guard my unit’s mission with secrecy, for my only true ally is the night and the element of surprise.” And the group boasts it’s “highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision.”
For a small gathering in Minneapolis Tuesday night, the exercise was an unwelcome sight.
“I think the scale of domestic military exercises is not a good idea,” said Daniel Feidt, a Minneapolis resident. “It’s a waste of taxpayer money. It’s inappropriate for Special Forces to be operating in American cities.”
But Minneapolis police said the training has been months in the making and that it will continue through Thursday evening.
Minneapolis police say exact times and locations cannot be released because of security concerns. They don’t want to attract attention and crowds of people which could create a public safety issue.
Minneapolis police say this is a routine training that is conducted by military personnel in cities across the country.
A former Navy SEAL told WCCO-TV the military prefers to put pilots in surroundings they’re not familiar with which, forces them to adapt quickly as if it were the real thing, on a mission in a place they’ve never been.
Discover something new.
= new reply since forum marked as read
