MINNESOTA
KAAL
[with video]
By: Megan Stewart
St. Paul Police Chief Tom Smith said Tuesday archdiocesan officials have not been very cooperative on priest sex abuse cases. He urged the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul to be more forthcoming with information on previous allegations of sex abuse.
In a news conference he said, “I want to let the public know one thing: let me be very clear on this,” Smith said. “We have through written and verbal requests made clear our desire to speak to individuals connected to the archdiocese and we have been told no.”
Smith says police have not had the access to interview clergy members in recent investigations into the previous allegations. As late as last week, Smith said they were told no.
“In order for us to bring these cases to the next step in the process of concluding investigations and to bring them to closure, we again, now publicly, call upon those individuals to speak with us,” Smith said.
“That’s why we are here today.”
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