Born in Northfield and living in a trailer park until he was 8 years old, Todd Axtell comes across as both humble and empathetic — decidedly not the common image of a city police chief.
Maybe that's why Axtell, who plans to step away from the job as St. Paul's top cop when his six-year term ends in June, has proven so popular. Seemingly liked in equal measure by Boomers and millennials, white people and communities of color, Axtell said he hopes his future includes helping police borrow his blueprint.
At the same time, Axtell acknowledged being stymied by the vexing challenge of rising gun violence that has dogged his last two years as chief, and that it could well vex whoever follows him. He hasn't been afraid to ask for money to hire more officers or pay them better. Nor has he shied from strategies to diversify and reform his department.
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He outfitted the department with body-worn cameras and recruited a more diverse police force, as well as bringing a renewed focus on officer training and wellness.
At times, he has sparred with his boss, Mayor Melvin Carter.
Eye On St. Paul recently chatted with Axtell to ask how he's managed to win praise from such disparate constituencies as the City Council, community groups and law-and-order types. We asked, too, about his plans moving forward.
This interview was edited for length.
Q: You've proven popular with a cross-section of St. Paul at a time when police and community relations elsewhere are strained. How?
A: It starts with great parents who taught me how to act and what's to be expected. To treat people with respect — like the slogan on our squad cars: Trusted Service With Respect. Respect is a universal language regardless of where we come from or what we look like.
Q: Why do you think so many people trust you when you say that?
A: I am always out in our community, in St. Paul's neighborhoods. Look, lots of people have great ideas. There's a sign on my office door: "If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room." I believe that.
The four spokes of a chief's wheel are the community, the work force, the media and elected leaders. When you can show vulnerability to each of those groups, it's really important. You can't dig in your heels when you're responsible for an organization. You have to be accountable.
Once you start doing that, the word gets out in the community that you can be trusted. Everything that we've done builds that bank of trust.
Q: What are you proudest of as chief?
A: When I set out to be chief, I thought about the three priorities I wanted to bring: diversify the police department, engage the community and address gun violence. We created the Career Path Academy, established the Community Engagement Division and added training to work with victims. All this helps reflect community values.
The only true authority that we have is the authority granted to us by the community we serve.
Q: You mentioned gun violence. Is the increase in shootings and homicides your biggest frustration?
A: That's the thing that keeps me up at night, the number of people injured by gunfire in our city. We have to find answers. It frustrates me to hear people say, "Yeah, but crime is up across the country." That's not good enough for me. That's not good enough. We are the City of St. Paul.
Q: How is your relationship with the mayor?
A: [Pauses] Both the mayor and I care deeply about the City of St. Paul and public safety in the City of St. Paul. My role as chief is to advocate for public safety solutions based on my experience and knowledge. We certainly haven't agreed on everything — ask any chief in this country if they agree with their mayor on everything and if they say "yes," I'll point you to a liar.
Q: You've argued for more officers. How many do you have?
A: We are authorized for 619 sworn officers. Right now, we have about 525 available, deployable. This really continues to be a challenge for us, to be able to hire a qualified number of police officers.
When I started in St. Paul [1989], we were the highest-paying department [in Minnesota]. But for the first time in my career, we are seeing a large number of officers leaving for other agencies that pay more. You don't get into policing for the money, but you also have to support a family and support a future.
Q: You have asked the mayor for more funding to improve pay. Have you gotten a response?
A: No.
Q: What's next for you?
A: One of the cons of being in this position is not being there as much as I could have been for my family [wife Lisa, two adult children, seven grandchildren]. I want to spend some time with them. I also want to do something where I can pay forward the great experience I've had over 33 years in this great city.
Q: Such as consulting work?
A: My heart is pulling me in that direction. I would be happy if I could help other organizations build a bank of trust with their communities.
Q: Politics?
A: No. Politics is the part of this job I enjoy the least.
Q: Do you have any advice for the next chief?
A: We have this deep foundation, this deep culture of engaging our community. We are not the police department. We are your police department. Maybe we have that culture [in St. Paul] because we have always hired [the chief] from within.
But we are only as successful as the shoulders that we stand on. Every chief has left this department in better shape than they found it. And one last thing: Don't take the sign off my door.
