Minneapolis Chief: “We are getting the tar kicked out of us on the North Side with robberies and assaults.”

It's worse than I thought.

At least interim Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan understands how bad Minneapolis, particularly the North Side, has degenerated under Mayor Rybak's watch. KSTP News reports: "Dolan says North Side 'needs help'".

In an internal email sent to police staff and Mayor R.T. Rybak, Dolan said the police are losing their battle against deadly shootings, robbery sprees and arson.

“I really need some help,” Dolan said. “We are getting the tar kicked out of us on the North Side with robberies and assaults.”

We didn't hear this kind of candor under Chief McManus. Here's some scary numbers:

...Since last year on the North Side, robbery is up 74 percent, sexual assault 39 percent, assault 31 percent and burglary is up 33 percent.

Could this be a sign of trouble?

“I really believe that relationships are the check book you write the check on when a crisis occurs,” Dolan says.

Haven't we had enough of the "community relations" thing? How's that been working out?

What the North Side really needs is some good, old-fashioned discipline. And while they're at it, don't forget about the rest of Minneapolis. There's a heavy tax base in the South and Southwest, and they're just as deserving of protection as those on the North Side. Minneapolis needs to stem the tide of middle class families fleeing the crime and violence.

Time will tell if Chief Dolan is the man for the job.