Community Safety
I believe everyone deserves to feel safe and supported in our city, regardless of their background. To achieve this, we need a community safety system that addresses the root causes of violence and prevents future incidents. As Chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee, I am proud to have launched our first Committee Work Plan, guiding our initiatives. We’ve mandated quarterly public safety reports, held the Mayor’s Administration accountable for overdue contractor payments, and established guidelines for a comprehensive public safety system. I remain committed to this essential work.
What We Did:
Lake Street Safety Center: Since January 2022, I have partnered with community members and local businesses to establish a dedicated center for essential city services that enhances safety and livability. I successfully authored budget amendments in 2022 and 2023 to fund this center, designed to improve community safety beyond traditional policing. Now open at 2228 East Lake Street, next to the Light Rail station, the center provides:
311 Customer Service Representatives
Community Navigators
Crime Prevention Specialist
Lake Street Safety Coordinator
LEAD Minneapolis
BE@School voluntary case management for youth and families
Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches support for substance use disorder
Satellite offices for the Behavior Crisis Response Team, Community City Attorney, and Lake Street Social Workers.
Lake Street Public Safety Coordinator Pilot Program: Authored and passed a budget amendment to create a position focused on engaging residents and businesses in the Lake Street Cultural District, facilitating the implementation of a comprehensive public safety response plan.
Cultural Safety Ambassadors on East Lake Street and East Franklin: Authored and passed a $3 million Budget Amendment aimed at developing and implementing Safety Ambassador Programs across the city's seven Cultural Districts. As a result of this strategic investment, the Lake Street and East Franklin Safety Ambassador Programs will be established in Spring 2025, enhancing community safety and support in these vibrant areas.
Public Health Specialist in the Southside Green Zone: Authored and passed a Budget Amendment to establish a Public Health Specialist in the Health Department that will address needle litter in the area and will include community and contract work.
Longfellow Neighborhood Safety Initiatives: Authored and passed a Budget Amendment that will help combat crime and violence in the Longfellow neighborhood. This funding would bring more eyes on the ground to help improve safety conditions for the area.
Let Everyone Advance With Dignity Program: Authored and secured a 2023 and 2024 Budget Amendment to support a comprehensive program supporting individuals navigating the legal system, focusing on long-term case management and a harm reduction model specifically for the East Lake Street Corridor.
Midtown Phillips Violence Prevention and Safety Services: Authored and passed a Budget Amendment that will support programming for culturally relevant outreach programs for youth violence prevention and mentorship to support crime reduction around religious institutions in the Midtown Phillips neighborhood.
Safe and Thriving Communities Implementation and Pilot Programs: Authored and passed a Budget Amendment that will help create new community safety programs in violence prevention, unarmed response, and/or healing and restorative services as outlined in the Safe and Thriving Communities Plan.
Safe and Thriving Communities Work Group: Authored and passed a Budget Amendment that will provide a budget to staff and support a community Work Group that will focus on supporting the implementation of the Safe and Thriving Communities Report and Plan, and will provide guidance on the new “Safety Center” model starting with the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center/3rd Precinct.
Neighborhood Safety Department Staff: Authored and passed a Bugdet Amendment that will add one full-time contract administrator and one full-time business data analyst to the Neighborhood Safety Department to help the department have more capacity and produce more specific and measurable data for internal operations and public clarity.
South Minneapolis Crime Prevention Specialist Position: Secured funding for the vacant Crime Prevention Specialist role in South Minneapolis, serving the Central, Corcoran, and Powderhorn Park neighborhoods. This involved strategic meetings for financial resources and participating in the interview and selection process.
2024 Summer Safety Violence Prevention Strategies: Authored and secured a $533,473 budget for violence prevention strategies this summer, addressing community safety groups' concerns about insufficient engagement in the Mayor's summer safety plan and their desire to offer insights.
Little Earth Community Safety and Outreach Program: I secured funding and passed a Legislative Directive for the City’s Community Safety Strategies Program, creating a community-led initiative to enhance safety and prevent violence in South Minneapolis. As a result, the Little Earth Protectors in East Phillips received funding for their 2024 safety initiatives. My office is also proposing a Budget Amendment to ensure the program's continued success.
Enhancing Light Rail and Transit Safety: My office hosted a listening session on transit safety, leading to bi-weekly collaborations with Metro Transit and community stakeholders to address challenges. In 2023, I secured City Council approval for a $1.7 million violence prevention initiative, improving safety in areas like Lake Street and the light rail station. This also resulted in extended service hours from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM, enhancing community safety and accessibility.
Collaborative Public Safety Strategies for East and Midtown Phillips: I authored and secured a $600,000 budget amendment for a safety program focused on reducing gun violence in the Phillips neighborhoods. My office is working with staff to pilot the Blueprint Approved Institute Program to enhance these efforts in our neighborhoods.
Continued expansion of the BCR Mental Health Response Team: Supported an amendment to the Mayor’s 2022 American Rescue Plan Proposal in order to fund the acquisition of two new vans for the mobile response team.
Funding for Street Outreach Contracts in Corcoran and Central Neighborhoods: In 2023, the City allocated $550,000 to the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization and the Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization for violence prevention initiatives. In 2024, I supported funding proposals of $473,432 for the Central Neighborhood Development Organization and $1,505,022 for TOUCH Outreach to enhance violence interruption efforts in Lake Street, Corcoran, and Central neighborhoods.
Minneapolis Auto-Theft Prevention Program: Authored and passed a budget amendment to reduce auto theft by marking catalytic converters, installing anti-theft screws on license plates, and providing residents with car locks, thereby enhancing community safety.
Intergovernmental Relations: Amended the City’s Legislative Agenda to prohibit firearm possession for individuals deemed a significant danger to themselves or others.
Looking Ahead:
911 Mental Health Pilot Initiative: Implement a program that integrates social workers into the 911 call center to provide immediate support for individuals in mental health crises. This approach aims to reduce escalation, harm, and repeat callers by addressing needs at the point of contact.
Non-Injury Accident Response Pilot Program: Implement an initiative that enables them to conduct on-scene investigations, provide immediate support, and facilitate traffic clearance. By reallocating these duties to trained non-sworn staff, law enforcement can focus on critical public safety issues, improving overall community safety and response efficiency.
Establish a Gun Violence Prevention and Survivors Workgroup to gather insights from community members and stakeholders. This group will develop strategies to combat gun violence and support survivors, ensuring their voices are included in all initiatives.
Gun Violence Public Health Emergency Initiative: I am leading this initiative to secure funding for impactful programs in communities hardest hit by gun violence. Our goals include identifying severely affected areas and redesigning neighborhoods to improve safety and well-being.
Revitalizing the 9-1-1 Dispatch System: We must enhance our system for efficiency, reliability, and responsiveness, ensuring you can connect with the right professional and receive timely assistance in emergencies.
Victim Support: Empower community members impacted by gun violence, domestic abuse, and sexual assault through targeted programs and funding.
Restorative Justice: Empower formerly incarcerated individuals through job opportunities and pathways to homeownership.