Cops & Courts

All of these car thefts were in close proximity to one another, so Fritz decided to do what the police call a "knock and talk," where police go to the houses of people they think are responsible and just make their presence known.

“We just talk to them and let them know that we are watching them and let them know what the consequences are if they are caught,” Fritz said.” And that’s pretty effective a lot of the time.”

No suspects were ever caught or charged with the crimes, but the smash and grabs virtually disappeared after the police went through with their visits.

“We do find that in things like burglaries and vandalisms, they can typically be attributed to one or two main crime waves that are kids that, for whatever reason, decide to do this for fun,” Fritz said.” And after our 'knock and talk' we had a pretty good idea of who the main suspects were.”

Using techniques like "knock and talks" has caused crimes in Richfield to stay on a steady decline since 2007. Crimes like vandalism and weapons charges have been cut by more than 50 percent.

“There isn’t any one thing that people in law enforcement can attribute to the decline in crime over the past few years,” Fritz said.” It’s an accumulation of many things.”

“Crime has been on the decline over the past few years, not just in Richfield but nationally,” he said.

One of the things that Fritz does attribute to the drop in crime is a neighborhood-watch program.

“We have about 250 neighborhood watches in Richfield, and we have been very active in getting those going over the past 15 years. And I think it has been very helpful,” he said.

Advances in technology are another thing that the chief said can be attributed to the drop in crime.

“Things like DNA and video cameras have been very beneficial to police work,” Fritz said. “Criminals understand now that their chances of getting caught are greater than what they were in the past due to technology. “

-- Casey Myers

Barry Fritz had been the city's director of Public Safety since 2008 before he retired last week. The department includes the police division, emergency services and environmental health. Fritz was a sworn police officer for 36 years. "The city of Richfield is a great place to live, a great place to work, and the people here are very supportive of their police department, and that is very important to have their support," he said. "The people that I've worked with have been spectacular, and I'm going to miss them."

Richfield Public Safety Director Barry Fritz is retiring Thursday after 36 years with the city. 

He appeared at Tuesday night's City Council meeting to say goodbye and thank the council for its support through the years. Click the Audioboo controller below to hear his remarks.

Deputy Chief Todd Sandell, who has been with the Police Department for 34 years himself, will serve as interim Public Safety director. No decision about a permanent replacement for Chief Fritz has been announced.

To read about the retiring chief's pet project, a history of the Richfield Police Department, click here.

A man who once did odd jobs for a Richfield couple has been arrested and charged with first degree murder and attempted murder in connection with a robbery in their home Feb. 28.

Leon Henry Anderson, 23, Minneapolis, is accused of killing Richard Webb, 79, and slashing the throat of his wife, Toni, 63, in their home in the 7300 block of Elliot Avenue South. 

He was arrested Monday in Brooklyn Center at the home of a friend.

According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Hennepin County, police believe Anderson attacked and robbed the couple in their home the night of Feb. 28, then drove off in their black 2008 Cadillac. Minneapolis police recovered the car, which contained a purse with Toni Webb's ID inside it, a few blocks from where Anderson had been living.

Police were first called to the Elliot Avenue house March 2 by a relative who stopped to check on the couple. She found the woman dazed and wraped in a blanket, with a six-inch knife wound across her throat. Richard Webb was found on the living floor with knife wounds around his head and arms and fractures to his nose and cheek bone.

Toni Webb was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center and admitted. After she recovered, she described the crime and identified Anderson as her attacker, according to the criminal complaint.

Investigators later learned that Anderson had done odd jobs for the Webbs in the past and that he'd met them through a relative who worked with Toni Webb.

Anderson remains in custody on $1 million bond. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Richfield police are looking for a 2008 Cadlillac CTS like the one pictured here as part of their investigation into a homicide last week.

Richfield police are seeking the public's help in finding a black 2008 Cadillac CTS that disappeared from an Elliot Avenue address where one person was slain and another was found stabbed just before noon Friday.

The car has a Minnesota critical habitat plate with a lady slipper background, license number 5AU-217. Anyone with information the car should call the Richfield Police Department at 612-861-9852

Authorities have not released the names of the two victims, a man who was apparently stabbed to death in the house at 7338 Elliot Avenue South in Richfield, and a woman, who was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center with non-life-threatening stab wounds.

Police said at the time the two people found in the house, and a third person stabbed earlier in Minneapolis, were related. No other details about the incident were available Monday afternoon.