Operation Endeavor update, plans for winter months in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - New data released for the anti-violence initiative Operation Endeavor shows crime numbers are trending down for a second month in Minneapolis.

City-wide data shows gun-related crime is down 44% compared to the same time period last year. The number of gunshot wound victims is down 18% while carjackings are down 67%. 

In the last four weeks, Operation Endeavor has also taken 76 guns, about 22 thousand in cash, and well over 10,000 fentanyl pills off the streets. 

"It certainly is going well. And it's going in a direction, I think, in which we here in the Office of Community Safety feel good about," said Public Safety Commissioner Cedric Alexander, 

As we head into the winter months, the strategy for the program remains the same, but day-to-day operations may change because crime changes. For instance, some officers might be in the skyways or spread out more from Nicollet Mall. Additionally, intelligence gathering may be different.

"Common sense tells us if it's cold or crime's not necessarily going to go away, which is what people often think, but it most often goes inside or is more hidden. So we need to adapt to that to be probably a little more surveillance going on in areas that we didn't maybe need to do during the summertime," said Commander Jason Case, who oversees the entire operation.

In addition to crime trending down, Alexander says the operation is helping morale at MPD because they believe they are doing good police work. With that, Alexander says there have been no formal complaints against officers since Operation Endeavor began. 

As for Endeavor’s future, it will keep going. Commander Case said he’d like to increase efforts to work closely with community groups like "A Mother’s Love" and "21 Days of Peace."