Preparedness
Minneapolis Police Feel Abandoned in Aftermath of Officer’s Fatal Shooting
In the wake of the tragic loss of Officer Jamal Mitchell, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) finds itself grappling with a deep sense of grief and frustration. Mitchell, who was responding to a call alone during a mandatory overtime rotation, was ambushed and fatally shot. The incident has laid bare the growing chasm between the MPD officers and the local decision-makers, whose perceived indifference to their plight is seen as a painful betrayal.
The suspect implicated in Mitchell’s murder, Mustafa Mohamed, had a criminal track record spanning two decades. Bound by a previous felony conviction, Mohamed was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. He had been eluding law enforcement for the past two years. This gunfight with Mohamed also wounded another officer.
Community reactions to Mitchell’s death have been mixed. While some local politicians have extended their condolences and support, others have chosen a different tack.
‘Most of us who work the streets in Minneapolis saw this coming, and the signs were already there for a long time.’
City Councilwoman Aisha Chughtai’s response to the incident focused on “gun violence”, without mentioning Mitchell’s name. She went on to criticize the “massive” police response to the shooting, arguing that it exacerbated the situation for local residents.
A similar sentiment was echoed by Governor Tim Walz (D), who simply referred to the incident as gun violence in an initial social media post.
An MPD officer expressed their disappointment in these responses, noting, “We still have city council members that refuse to acknowledge the dangers of this job, or the bravery and sacrifice of Mitchell. Councilmember Chughtai is a perfect example of this.” The perceived lack of support from local politicians was described as a “blatant slap in the face to Mitchell and his sacrifice.”
Another officer shared their sentiment, lamenting the politicians’ tendency to “hijack this tragedy and make it about them.” Despite a few city council members who have consistently shown support for law enforcement, this officer claimed that the bulk of the council despises them.
A third officer voiced their perplexity at the politicians’ shock following Mitchell’s death, arguing, “The glaring problem is why it’s shocking to them, because I don’t think they could have fathomed that this would happen. Most of us who work the streets in Minneapolis saw this coming, and the signs were already there for a long time.”
This officer also emphasized that the hazardous working conditions have been a long-standing issue, which the administration has ignored. The officer drew attention to the city’s refusal to confront the key issue, “that criminals are not afraid of prosecution.”
Police officers further expressed concerns over Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision to drop murder charges against a state trooper who had shot an armed motorist, citing it was within his use-of-force. Moriarty’s comparison of supporters of the trooper who protested outside the courthouse to protesters at the Capitol building on January 6, 2021, was met with disbelief and fear among officers.
The second officer expressed concern, stating, “It terrifies cops, myself included, that she is in charge and does everything she can to charge cops.”
The third officer voiced complaints about a lack of acknowledgment from members of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party that their ideologies might be contributing to the current situation. The officer expressed a desire for accountability and recognition of the challenges faced by law enforcement officers without constant references to the controversial case of George Floyd.
The rift between MPD officers and city leaders has been growing since the BLM riots in 2020. Officers feel underprepared and abandoned as they grapple with policies they view as pro-crime, causing many to leave the force. Those who remain continue to face an uphill battle, with no apparent end in sight.
A memorial service for Officer Jamal Mitchell is scheduled for next Tuesday at Maple Grove Senior High School. Mitchell leaves behind a fiancée and four children.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Because peace of mind beats panic every time
When a big storm’s coming, the news spreads fast. Shelves empty, gas stations fill up, and suddenly everyone’s buying bottled water like it’s gold. The truth is, once panic buying starts, it’s already too late. Real preparedness isn’t about fear it’s about peace of mind. The best time to get ready is when things still feel normal.
Here are ten simple, affordable items you can stock quietly now so you’re not scrambling later.
1. Water and Water Filters
Start with the basics: one gallon per person per day for at least three days. Keep bottled water handy, but also grab a small filter straw or purification tablets for backup. Clean water matters more than anything else when supplies run short.
2. Non-Perishable Food
You don’t need fancy freeze-dried meals. A few weeks’ worth of canned goods, rice, oats, peanut butter, and protein bars go a long way. Choose foods you actually eat, rotate them out as part of your normal pantry.
3. First-Aid Kit and Medications
Every home needs one. Bandages, antiseptic, gloves, and basic medicines like pain relievers and allergy pills can make a huge difference. If you take prescription medication, try to keep at least a few extra days’ supply on hand.
4. Flashlights and Extra Batteries
When the power goes out, light is everything. Stock a few small LED flashlights and a headlamp for hands-free use. Don’t forget extra batteries or a crank-powered option that never needs charging.
5. Portable Charger or Power Bank
Phones are lifelines during emergencies. Keep a charged power bank in your bag or car. Solar versions are great backups if you’re stuck without power for days.
6. Trash Bags and Zip Ties
Sounds simple, but trash bags are a survival essential. They can collect waste, store supplies, or even serve as ponchos or tarps. Pair them with a handful of zip ties one of the most underrated tools for securing gear or sealing openings.
7. Manual Can Opener
If your food storage depends on cans, make sure you can open them without electricity. A sturdy manual can opener can save you a lot of frustration (and hungry hours).
8. Multi-Tool or Pocket Knife
A good multi-tool replaces an entire toolbox in an emergency. Cutting rope, fixing leaks, opening packages you’ll use it more often than you think.
9. Basic Hygiene Supplies
Soap, toothbrushes, wet wipes, and feminine products often get overlooked. Staying clean keeps morale up and illness down, especially when running water isn’t guaranteed.
10. Emergency Cash
If card readers go down, cash is still king. Keep small bills in a waterproof envelope somewhere safe but easy to grab.
Final Thought
Preparedness isn’t about hoarding or panic, it’s about independence and calm. When something unexpected happens, the people who’ve planned ahead are the ones helping others instead of fighting for supplies.
📝 Starter Supply Checklist
☑ Water (1 gallon per person per day)
☑ Food for 3–7 days
☑ First-aid kit and medicines
☑ Flashlights + batteries
☑ Power bank or solar charger
☑ Trash bags + zip ties
☑ Manual can opener
☑ Multi-tool or knife
☑ Hygiene essentials
☑ Small cash reserve
Your kitchen drawer might just be the best survival kit you never built
You don’t need to live in the wilderness or have a fancy bug-out bag to be prepared for an emergency. Most people already own half the tools they’d need to survive they’re just scattered across kitchen drawers, garages, and bathroom cabinets. The secret is knowing what you have and how to use it creatively. Here are ten everyday items that can turn into life-saving tools when things go sideways.
1. Garbage Bags
A simple trash bag can do more than hold waste. Use it as a rain poncho, emergency shelter, ground tarp, or even a water collector. Heavy-duty contractor bags can be stuffed with leaves for insulation or turned into makeshift sleeping bags.
2. Aluminum Foil
Foil is basically metal in your pocket. Wrap it around food to cook over open flame, fashion it into a bowl or wind guard, or use it to reflect heat toward your shelter. You can even fold a small square into a mirror for signaling.
3. Shoelaces
Strong, lightweight, and easy to find. Shoelaces can tie gear, hang food from trees, fix broken zippers, or become makeshift tourniquets. In survival situations, cordage is priceless and you’re probably wearing some right now.
4. Bleach
Unassuming but powerful, regular unscented bleach can disinfect surfaces and purify water. Add just 8 drops per gallon of clear water, mix well, and wait 30 minutes. (If it smells faintly of chlorine afterward, it’s safe to drink.)
5. Coffee Filters
Coffee filters aren’t just for caffeine lovers. They make excellent pre-filters for dirty water, help start fires when dry, and can even work as disposable plates or wound covers. Lightweight and cheap, they’re worth tossing in any emergency bag.
6. Duct Tape
If something’s broken, duct tape can probably fix it. Patch holes, secure splints, seal windows, or twist it into rope. It’s waterproof, durable, and compact a survival MVP in any scenario.
7. Plastic Bottles
Empty water bottles are more useful than they look. Use them to carry and purify water, as makeshift funnels, or to store dry goods. Fill one with water and set it in sunlight for a few hours the UV rays can kill bacteria naturally.
8. Vaseline and Cotton Balls
Together, they’re an instant fire starter. Coat a few cotton balls in petroleum jelly and store them in a small bag. Even in rain, they’ll ignite easily and burn long enough to get a fire going.
9. Paper Clips
A tiny metal multitool. Paper clips can pick locks, fix zippers, clean small gear, or act as hooks and fish lures. They’re proof that even office supplies can have survival value.
10. Hand Sanitizer
Besides keeping your hands germ-free, sanitizer with alcohol doubles as fire fuel. A small squeeze on kindling makes damp wood catch flame faster. Keep a travel bottle in your car or pocket, it’s hygiene and ignition in one.
Final Thought
Survival isn’t about buying gear it’s about using what’s already around you. The next time you open a junk drawer, look again. You might not see a mess; you might see a ready-made emergency kit hiding in plain sight. Being resourceful isn’t just thrifty, it’s one of the best survival skills you’ll ever have.
It’s almost hard to imagine life without your phone. It’s your map, flashlight, camera, clock, and your link to everyone you care about. But imagine this: a long power outage, a road trip gone wrong, or a massive storm that knocks out towers and Wi-Fi. Suddenly that tiny glowing screen in your hand turns black and so does your sense of direction.
When your phone dies, it’s not just inconvenient. It can make you feel lost and cut off. But you can still stay connected and in control if you know a few old-school, low-tech tricks.
1. Go Old School: Know How to Use a Map and Compass
GPS has made traditional navigation a lost art, but it’s one of the most valuable survival skills you can learn. Keep a paper map of your local area or the places you travel often printed maps never run out of battery.
Learn to read topography lines, landmarks, and road grids. A basic compass is cheap and reliable. Even without one, you can find direction using the sun (it rises in the east, sets in the west) or at night by locating the North Star. Knowing these simple things can help you walk to safety when your phone can’t guide you.
2. Keep a Backup Way to Communicate
You don’t need a cell signal to reach people. A hand-crank or battery-powered radio can pick up local broadcasts for updates and weather alerts. For person-to-person contact, two-way radios (walkie-talkies) still work great over short distances they’re affordable and don’t rely on towers.
In group situations, establish meeting points ahead of time. If you’re separated, everyone should know where to regroup. Simple, clear planning beats panic every time.
3. Create a “No-Tech Contact Tree”
If your phone dies, do you actually know anyone’s phone number by heart? Most of us don’t anymore. Write down key contacts family, friends, doctors, and emergency numbers on a small card and keep it in your wallet or car.
Create a quick “contact tree” on paper: who to call, who they’ll contact next, and where to meet if lines are down. It doesn’t need to be fancy; even a handwritten plan keeps communication flowing when technology doesn’t.
4. Use Signals and Landmarks
If you can’t talk or text, visibility becomes your language. Bright colors, mirrors, or flashlights can signal for help during the day or night. Three short flashes of light, three blasts on a whistle, or three knocks on a wall, all are standard distress signals.
Learn to identify major landmarks like rivers, bridges, or towers. They help rescuers find you and guide you to safety.
5. Power Smart When You Can
If you get a chance to recharge, make it count. Keep a small power bank charged and ready in your bag or car. Switch your phone to airplane mode, lower brightness, and close background apps to stretch every percent of battery life.
Final Thought
Technology is amazing until it isn’t. Losing your phone doesn’t have to mean losing your sense of connection or safety. Real independence comes from knowing what to do when the tools fail. Think of it as digital detox with a survival twist: when the world goes quiet, the smartest thing you can do is stay calm, use your head, and rely on skills that don’t need a signal to work.
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Crotte
June 20, 2024 at 11:08 am
Without law and order peace cannot be maintained and gradually the barbarians will take over Minneapolis is well on its way to the new dark ages where barbarians see that anything is fair game.
Ann
June 20, 2024 at 3:17 pm
It’s a shame that these politicians don’t realize how important the police are to the safety of the general population, they have security etc I think that the lack of punishment for criminals after the police have caught them is a contributing factor, the police put their lives on the line and these left wing DA’s and judges do nothing to them, let them go no bail etc. and a lot of them commit further crimes while they are free! Who would want to be a police officer under these circumstances?
Rat Wrangler
June 20, 2024 at 5:54 pm
There is no such thing as “gun violence”, as that puts the responsibility for the violence on the gun, rather than on the sociopath wielding it. With two decades of known criminal activity under his belt, the perpetrator of this crime should probably have been removed from society long ago. What we need are laws that allow for the scaling of penalties based on all criminal behavior, not just the most recent case, but juries are often not permitted to hear about a defendant’s previous encounters with the law. They are often permitted to hear about previous activities of the witnesses to the crimes so as to credit or discredit their testimonies. This is not fair to the People nor to the justice system. To make matters worse, the prosecutors are often allowed to determine which cases to bring to the courts, regardless of what the laws themselves say.
Jeff
June 20, 2024 at 6:03 pm
For those that think tighter gun control laws would have prevented this incident are simple-minded people.
Mohamed was ILLEGALLY possessing a gun. So much for that law!!!!
Criminals are the problem, not the tool.