In September of 2004, Cycle 5 winner Nicole Linkletter wrote a letter to the University Chronicle at St. Cloud State University (during her sophomore year) regarding the reliability of the St. Cloud Police Department when she and her friend were mugged on campus. Here is the text from her online letter:
SCPD is Busy with Booze
I thought I was doing everything right to keep myself safe last Friday night. I was walking with a friend in a well-lit area across the street from campus. All of the sudden, we heard someone running behind us. In a split second, two guys ran up on both sides of us, violently shoving me to the ground and stealing my purse.
I screamed for help, but it happened so fast no one had time to react.
The first thing I thought of when I got to my feet was to call 911. This was where the real issue began. The 911 dispatcher said they would send someone out to the scene to take a report. I was relieved to know the authorities were on there way. Or so I thought.
Forty-five minutes later, I was still standing outside in the cold. Fortunately, two people that had been walking home from the grocery store waited with us. We called the SCPD and were informed that they were very busy and it would be a while. Finally around 1:30 we decided to forget the police and head home. A little after 3:30, the officer finally decided to show up at my apartment and take down a report.
I don’t know where those robbers ran off to that night, but I do know where the SCPD was. On the way home, I saw multiple squad cars and a huge red van with a group of cops around it. If I had only had a few beers in me I could have had a free ride straight to the station in that red van.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. At a time when I felt most vulnerable, I was let down by the people who are suppose to make us feel safe.
Why does it seem like the cops are always in the places that we don’t want them, but never in the place where we need them? Keep up the great work St. Cloud Police Department!
Nicole Linkletter Second year student – Marketing
To learn more about Cycle 5’s winner Nicole Linkletter, visit her bio page here.
Source: University Chronicle
