By Rich Larson, News Director
Outside of the Covid-19 pandemic, perhaps the biggest topic in communities throughout the country this year was police reform, and Northfield has been no different.
Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said that a scheduled internal review of policies and procedures began in April, and over the summer the Northfield City Council created a Police Policy Task Force to look at some department policies as well. Chief Elliott said the timing of the external review was very good, and that the department was well prepared for it.
The task force isn’t looking at every department policy, Chief Elliott said, but they are looking at the policies that directly affect how the police handle specific areas of law enforcement.
“It’s the policies that revolve around police reform, things like use of force, any of our policies that touch on any racial components, and things like that. We want to be sure that we’re putting those in front. Really those policies that cover the police reform topics that came up [over the summer], is what we’re putting in front of them and then getting feedback.”
So far, the Chief said, he has seen some interesting trends. There has not been a lot of discussion of the department changes they have already made, he said, which he takes as a sign of agreement. The questions and feedback the department is receiving, however, has taught him something.
“We’re getting a lot of questions around how officers do their job and the kind of training they receive. So, I think a big thing that is coming out of this policy task force is really showing how important education and just general information is with the public. To answer their questions and make sure they feel more comfortable.”
Chief Elliott said that due to budget cuts and restraints over the years, much of the community outreach programs had been either scaled back or scrapped entirely, and he now sees more of a need to help the public understand how the police do their job, and why they go about things the way they do.
The Chief said that the review is about half done. Once it is finished, the results will be presented to the City Council, and that the entire Northfield Police Department policy manual will be posted online.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Chief Elliott can be heard here.
No answers on the Archer House until February
While questions continue to be asked about the future of the Archer House River Inn, Brett Reese, the president of Rebound Hospitality, the company that owns building said that right now, it’s really just a matter of waiting.
The Archer House was severely damaged by a fire in mid-November. Reese said that originally their insurance company had hoped to determine whether the building could be saved by Christmas, however, due to the complexity of the situation, it now looks like no determination will be made until February.
Reese said that there has been tremendous support from the community and really around the world. “We’ve heard from people who had wedding parties, special events, St. Olaf alumni, Carleton alumni, former Northfielders,” he said, “and some of them crying. And we are too. There are just so many memories in that building.”
Even if the building is able to be saved, Reese said there will be a lot of changes from what people will remember. Building codes have, of course, changed dramatically since the Archer House was built in 1877. Structural issues and adherence to building codes would make it virtually impossible to rebuild the hotel as it stood before the fire. If elements of the original building can be preserved, Reese said they will do that. But if the building must come down, Rebound Hospitality is committed to making the most of the situation.
“Maybe something great and splendorous could come out of it, so you look at the back. The front, again, could we somehow preserve some of the front characteristics, like the French architecture. And then also going back, there’s the parking lot back there. Maybe we could build over the parking lot, and up to the river, and have something really cool and great. Definitely hospitality, there is a need for rooms in Northfield, and maybe some housing, and maybe some entertainment on the river, too.”
For now, Reese said, like everyone else in Northfield, they are on “pins & needles” waiting to hear what the next steps could be.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Brett Reese can be heard here.
