Minneapolis SafeZone – Keeping Downtown Safe
In December of 2004, the Downtown Business Community approached City leadership to ask for increased coordination and effort in regard to Downtown Safety. As a result of this, the Minneapolis SafeZone Collaborative—Downtown was formed. The Collaborative was formed based on the premise that in Downtown Minneapolis, there are 13 private security officers for every law-enforcement officer and that with increased communication between these partners, crime can be decreased.
With this partnership engaged, while robbery went up elsewhere in Minneapolis, it went down 20% in the SafeZone. Auto theft in the SafeZone area also was down 14%.
SafeZone Joint Beats
- Joint Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff and Metropolitan Transit Police patrols to increase uniformed presence on the street and to also make coordinated contacts with private security.
- Officers from all departments are working together out of the First Precinct, with coordinated supervision from a joint command.
Wireless Cameras
- As of the Spring of 2006, there will be 30 operational cameras in the SafeZone area.
- Cameras monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the First Precinct.
Common Radio Link
- Linkage between Minneapolis Police and Private Security by means of police radios.
- As of March 2006, there are over 30 radios on the street, and within the month of February 2006 over twenty arrests were made.
SafeZone Prosecution Program
- In June of 2005, SafeZone partnered with the City Attorneys office for an expanded prosecution program with the goal of increasing community sense of safety.
- Six Pronged Prosecution Program includes identifying significant cases, evaluating defendant(s) to determine if geographical restrictions are appropriate, recommend a course of action to prosecuting attorney and court, solicit statements from the community to provide to prosecuting attorney and the court, and provide the Collaborative outcome information.
SafeZone—Downtown Restorative Justice Initiative
- Partnership with Restorative Justice Community Action, Inc., began April 1, 2006.
- Offenders learn of program with a direct referral from SafeZone Police Officers.
- Historically only 10% of participants re-offend within three years.
Training
- SafeZone offers quarterly and specialized trainings to the private sector at no cost.
- Over 350 Individuals have been certified through training.
Secure SafeZone WorkSite
- In June of 2005, SafeZone worked with Northwrite for a SafeZone hosted WorkSite to provide communications between private security, the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office.
- SafeZone WorkSite offers a "nuts and bolts" location for aiding in prosecution.
For more information, contact Elizabeth Melton, SafeZone Executive Director, at 612.673-2877 or at info@minneapolissafezone.org.
Last updated Sep. 27, 2011