Why is the City considering this project now

• The City has been planning for the Community Safety Training and Wellness Center since 2021. 
• In 2021, it was added to the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) request list. 
• The City has completed assessments and advanced planning that aligns with requirements in the MDHR settlement agreement and Safe and Thriving Communities Report.

How do residents benefit from this project

• This investment helps keep residents safer by supporting the people who respond to emergencies every day.
• Better training and wellness for first responders leads to better service for everyone in the community.
• The new center would give 911, Behavioral Crisis Response, Emergency Management, EMS, Fire, Neighborhood Safety, and Police a shared place to train together.
• Training in the same space helps these departments work together more smoothly during everyday calls and major emergencies.
• The center also supports the health and well‑being of first responders so they can continue serving the public effectively.

What are the advantages of a shared training center

• A shared center allows for:
  • Coordinated cross-department trainings for City departments involved in safety operations
  • Increased coordination on incident responses in times of crisis
  • Opportunity for multi-jurisdictional partnerships through training and real-time complex incident management
  • Space to perform functional and table-top exercises
  • Elevated training and wellness standards that ensure Minneapolis safety personnel are well supported to provide the best service to Minneapolis communities

Which funds will finance the center

• The City funds major capital projects in phases through its Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Examples of this include:
  • Art installations
  • New facility development
  • Park rehabilitation
  • Renovation of existing facilities
  • Street paving
• The proposed site purchase would use current project funds and some 2026 capital dollars that would move to this project.
• Full design and construction funding would come through future capital budget decision. 
• The City is also pursuing funding assistance from the state. 

Will this take away funds used for city operations or Operation Metro Surge recovery

• The proposed property acquisition would be funded by the City's existing Capital Budget. 
• Levy funded debt is money the City borrows for major projects and repays over time through property taxes.
• Levy funded debt is only used for fixed assets, such as:
  • Buildings
  • Infrastructure
  • Major equipment
• Levy funded debt is not used for:
  • Operations
  • Programs
  • Salaries 
  • Services

How are current facilities lacking

• Current facilities were not built to support today’s training, coordination, and wellness needs.
• They are spread across Minneapolis, which makes coordinated, cross‑department training harder.
• Many spaces are too small or lack the flexibility needed for modern safety and wellness work.
• Some locations are:
  • Outdated
  • Leased or temporary
  • Repurposed for uses they weren’t originally designed to support

Why can't existing City spaces meet this need

• Current City spaces can only handle occasional meetings or limited training
• They cannot support the regular needs of today’s community safety workforce.
• Staff need reliable space for ongoing training, practice scenarios, teamwork, and wellness.
• Many departments need space over time, not just when a room is free.
• A strong community safety system needs dedicated space built for this purpose.

Will community members be able to access the training and wellness center

• In general, the facility will not be open to the community.
• The City is considering using it for safety-related trainings for the community or a meeting space. 
• The training and wellness center will be designed to:
  • Specifically support community safety staff
  • Enhance the City's emergency preparedness and response

How is this different from the future South Minneapolis Community Safety Center

• The safety center will be open to the community. 
• Minneapolis resident and visitors will have access to safety and other community social services. 
• It will include the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct. 
• It is designed to be a public-facing and a critical point for connecting the community and the City's safety system. 

What requirements are related to facilities

• The MDHR settlement agreement requires the City and MPD to:
  • Check police equipment, technology, training, wellness programs, and buildings are adequate.
  • Identify what is outdated or broken
  • Determine what repairs, upgrades, or new facilities are needed
  • Meet needs to support required modern training, strong wellness resources and operational standards
• After the assessments, the City and MPD must create plans to fix and improve these areas.
• The plans must help make sure employees have the spaces and support they need to work effectively.
• The City must provide the financial resources to carry out the plans.

What requirements are related to wellness

• The MDHR settlement agreement requires MPD to assess its wellness and support programs. 
• The third-party assessments identified significant gaps in wellness areas. 
• The City is required to create plans, address the gaps, and improve employee wellness. 

Read the full assessments

What does wellness mean for community safety staff

• Wellness is defined by helping our safety personnel stay:
  • Healthy
  • Effective
  • Able to continue serving the public over time
• This is important as our first responders go to high-stress and traumatic situtations. 

What is wellness support

• Wellness support includes:
  • Reviewing after difficult incidents
  • Resilience and recovery support
  • Physical recovery and injury prevention
  • Space for all safety staff to address the effects of repeated trauma exposure

What are the future wellness capabilities

The center will provide:

• Physical therapy space
• Mental health counseling spaces
• Trauma and critical incident response support
• Needed office space for wellness staff
• Accessible wellness resources for safety staff

Will small and underutilized businesses be included in contracting opportunities

• All professional services contracts and construction contracts must follow City Ordinance related to Civil Rights - Contract Compliance. 
• All contracts more than $175,0000 must follow the requirements of the City's Small and Underutilized Business Program. 

How will this proposed site affect traffic in the area 

• This project must follow the City's Planning and Zoning requirements and be approved by the Planning Commission. 
• Per those requirements, the project must follow Planning and Zonings Land Use application and Site Plan Review processes. 
• This requires the project to complete a Traffic Demand Management Plan. 

Will the sidewalk and roads in the area be fixed near the proposed property

• As part of the project:
  • Any sidewalks or entry drives inside the proposed project area will be fixed
  • All impacted public infrastructure will be designed according to the City's Transportation Action Plan
  • All sidewalks and sidewalk gaps next to the site will be brought into compliance.

Will training activities be noisy

• Most of the anticipated training will happen in classrooms inside the building. 
• It's too early to know all the training activities that would take place at the facility and any potential noise impacts. 

Will any chemical weapons be used

• It is anticipated that the only chemical irritant utilized in training will be mace. 
• This substance solely affects individuals who are directly sprayed and is designed to dissipate safely in open air.