How To Survive a Riot: Police Offer Virtual Preparedness Training

While Minneapolis gets all the attention for its trials, crime spikes, and city council lunacy, its twin sister St. Paul—just across the Mississippi River—is not to be forgotten. The smaller but older capital city has also seen record spikes in violent crime and suffered terrible damage during the George Floyd riots last May.

The St. Paul police department has pleaded for more resources, but city leaders have focused on building more bike paths. With the start of the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis, police in St. Paul are preparing for another round of mostly peaceful riots.

Here are some of their tips for business owners on how to survive a riot:

• Keep ATMs away from entrances
• Cover doors and windows with a protective barrier
• Update lighting and security cameras
• Reduce inventory so protesters have less to steal

KSTP explains more in this 2-minute clip:

St. Paul business owners can sign up for courses on how to survive a riot by clicking here. Following is more from their site about the courses:

Are you a business owner or operator in Saint Paul who’s interested in enhancing the safety and security of your operations and staff—especially during unrest?

If so, the Saint Paul Police Department invites you to attend a virtual workshop.

The Community Partnership Unit and the Special Operations Unit are hosting several hour-long Microsoft Teams meetings to help businesses in the city plan and prepare for potential unrest.   

Each meeting will include:

• a timeline of planned and possible protests, demonstrations and marches in the city, including the high-profile court proceedings involving former police officers in Minneapolis (scheduled to begin Monday, March 8)
   
• an overview of steps the police department is taking to protect people, property and free speech throughout the spring and summer
   
• a presentation on practical steps businesses can take to protect their employees and operations during unrest
   
• the opportunity to ask certified crime prevention specialists questions
   
• an opportunity to sign up for free premise security survey