Selby Dale Safety Meeting: What Neighbors Need to Know

Mississippi Market Safety Meeting: What Neighbors Need to Know

Summit-University Planning Council (SUPC) | October 2026

By Jason Shiggs, Community Improvement and Safety Chair

Background

Since 1999, Mississippi Market, located at Selby & Dale, has sat at the corner of four sub-districts, making it the only grocery store in four of the six sub-districts of Summit-University. For a lot of us, it is more convenient to go to Mississippi Market for half a gallon of soy milk than to go anywhere else. Many of our retired neighbors feel more comfortable going to a small local store than a big-box store.

Over the warmer months of 2026, like in many parts of the metro, Mississippi Market saw a significant increase in the number of individuals engaged in theft and vandalism.

The Meeting

On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the Summit-University Planning Council sat down with representatives from Mississippi Market, the Saint Paul Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department to discuss the situation.

First and foremost, we would like to acknowledge that Mississippi Market has been meeting with the Saint Paul Police Department well before this meeting and has already implemented many of the recommended suggestions. For example, they hired employees whose main job is to deal with store disturbances — anything from shoplifting to misuse of bathrooms. These are significant financial commitments from Mississippi Market to ensure that their customers' shopping experience is not interrupted and that their core workers can perform their jobs while keeping overall theft to a minimum.

What Police Recommend

Several times during the meeting, even with these improvements, Saint Paul Police emphasized contacting them when problems arise. The aim is to identify repeat offenders. Even though most criminal activity experienced at Mississippi Market involves misdemeanors, over time repeat offenders can eventually be charged with a gross misdemeanor.

The Metro Transit Police Department representative repeated that calling the authorities is the best solution and highlighted the text line for transit-related concerns.

Law enforcement also has another tool: a geographic restriction, which prohibits repeat offenders from being within a one- to two-block radius of Mississippi Market.

Let's be clear: there are no perfect solutions. What is important is working with police, identifying repeat offenders, and creating an environment where perpetrators know that even small infractions will result in consequences.

How to Report

Emergencies: Call 911

Non-emergencies (Saint Paul Police): Call 651-212-1111

Transit issues (Metro Transit PD) - buses, bus stations, light rail trains, and light rail stations: Text 612-900-0411, including pictures if possible

Next Steps

As we move into the colder months, the situation around Mississippi Market will likely calm down due to the colder weather. With that said, we know we will need to keep monitoring and reporting suspicious activity whenever it happens — including on the bus lines that run along Selby and Dale, as well as at Mississippi Market itself. We have well-funded police departments. They have the capacity to help. Collectively, as a neighborhood, we need to keep them informed so they can do their job.

Going forward, SUPC would like to:

Work with Metro Transit to understand reported issues at bus stops within our district and explore opportunities for better crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) — that is, designing spaces to reduce opportunities for crime.

Work with the adjacent district councils of Union Park and Capitol River, as well as our Ward 1 representative, Anika Bowie, to ensure a consistent approach to crime prevention throughout the ward.

Ensure that the other businesses at Selby and Dale are working in concert and supporting one another.

Takeaway

Public safety around Mississippi Market depends on all of us staying engaged. Report what you see, help police identify repeat offenders, and support our local businesses. Together, we can make sure Selby & Dale remains a safe place for everyone.