John Choi

KEEP CRIMINALS OFF OUR STREETS

As Ramsey County Attorney, John will focus on aggressively prosecuting violent crime to ensure public safety.  Because of his experience as Saint Paul's chief prosecutor, John has a proven record of holding offenders accountable and effectively managing prosecutors and a prosecution budget.

You can count on John to:

Prosecute Gun Crimes  Minnesota law dictates mandatory minimum prison sentences for offenders who commit a felony while using a gun.  John will aggressively prosecute these cases and will put these violent offenders where they belong – in prison.

Combat Domestic Violence  Nothing is more destructive to families and public safety than domestic violence. As Saint Paul City Attorney, John took a strong stand against domestic violence. John worked with police and prosecutors to implement the “Blueprint for Safety” to make domestic violence arrests and prosecutions a priority in his office. As Ramsey County Attorney, John will continue to develop and incorporate best practices to combat domestic abuse.

Implement Innovative Strategies to Keep Us Safe John developed specialized units for prosecutors in the City Attorney’s Office that tackled specific and persistent crime problems.  As Ramsey County Attorney, he’ll use this approach to fight gang violence, confront chronic and career criminals, and prevent elder abuse. In 2009, John was recognized by his colleagues as the top city attorney in North America for his innovative leadership in this area.

ENSURE SAFE KIDS AND SAFE SCHOOLS

As Ramsey County Attorney, John will focus on our community’s greatest asset – children. The protection and rehabilitation of juveniles will be one of John’s top priorities. 

You can count on John to:

Intervene with Young Offenders  John knows juvenile crime is a significant challenge in our neighborhoods and our schools. He will develop a continuum of solutions to address juvenile crime – from diverting first time low-level offenders to locking up violent criminals. John is committed to developing prevention and intervention strategies for juvenile offenders to reduce repeat offenders and put our kids on a path to success.

Increase School Attendance  John recognizes that inconsistent school attendance often contributes to juvenile delinquency. As Ramsey County Attorney, John is committed to continuing truancy efforts through the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP). In addition, John will expand efforts to reduce truancy through new organizational partnerships and a community prosecution approach.

Support our Children  Ramsey County is unique in that it houses enforcement officers and prosecutors together to maximize the collection of child support payments. This approach has fostered a strong partnership between investigators and prosecutors to collect from parents when they fail to support their children. John is fully committed to maintaining aggressive child support enforcement and prosecution. 

FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS

As Ramsey County Attorney, John will promote fiscal responsibility, leveraging resources and developing cost-effective solutions. As the former Saint Paul City Attorney, John is the only candidate with a proven record of innovation and fiscal responsibility in running a prosecution office.

You can count on John to:

Promote Fiscal Responsibility  John was Saint Paul City Attorney during one of the toughest economies in decades. Despite dwindling resources, John brought in additional capital and got the most out of every dollar in his $8 million budget. John will maximize current County dollars and aggressively seek additional revenues through public and private grants.

Develop Cost-Effective Solutions  John believes every violent offender must be incarcerated. For nonviolent offenders, however, John will develop innovative, cost-effective solutions using tactics like diversion and restorative justice to reduce repeat offenders. John is also committed to the concept of drug court and mental health court to ensure better outcomes in the criminal justice system.