Mayor Jacob Frey, Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette and Police Chief Brian O’Hara joined Ward 7 City Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer and community members in the heart of Uptown to highlight the coordinated, comprehensive response to community safety in the area. The City has been working with numerous partners, including local businesses, to better address livability and safety issues.
Beginning this week, the City’s Neighborhood Safety team will be engaging the Uptown community in a series of feedback sessions. The team will be at the Walker Library on Hennepin Avenue Thursday, April 23, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
“We hear Uptown,” said Mayor Frey. This neighborhood matters, and people need to feel safe here. We’ve made progress with stronger patrols and better coordination, but there’s more to do. That’s why we’re stepping up visible safety efforts, working with urgency, and pairing compassion with accountability to make Uptown safe and welcoming.”
Dedicated police patrols
Last December, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara dedicated a Fifth Precinct patrol unit to curbing nuisance behavior in Uptown and Stephen’s Square. It’s part of the department’s commitment to proactive crime prevention work, interrupting criminal behavior by being a presence in the neighborhood. Since March 1, officers have issued 120 misdemeanor trespassing citations and made 60 arrests, many involving people with outstanding warrants.
Community involvement
Local businesses and community members have also assisted with the coordinated response by providing physical spaces for law enforcement agencies to stop in, write reports, use a restroom and act as a physical presence and deterrent. The results so far have been encouraging but show more work to be done.
“What we're seeing is government working the way it should: listening to constituents, setting ideology aside, and using every tool available to get people the help they need while restoring public spaces that belong to everyone," said Shaffer.
“When it comes to community safety, our vision is simple: the City and community working together to meet the specific needs of Uptown and every other neighborhood in the City,” said Commissioner Todd Barnette, Minneapolis Office of Community Safety. “We will continue to invest in innovative programs, including expanding the Community Safety Ambassadors, to provide on-the-ground support and connect people to resources. This is how we’re building a safer, more connected Minneapolis—by listening, partnering, and staying committed to long-term progress.”
Expanding Community Safety Ambassadors
Starting in November, the City is expanding the Community Safety Ambassador Program to Uptown, dedicating eight Ambassadors to the area. The expansion comes after the pilot program launched last summer, which showed success on East Franklin and East Lake Streets. Safety Ambassadors provide:
- Safety escorts
- Wellness checks in public areas
- Help filing police reports
- Connections to City resources and services
- Support for businesses
- Basic first aid such as CPR and NARCAN
A survey conducted last November showed positive feedback from community members along East Lake Street and Franklin Avenue, with results including:
- 83% have seen Ambassadors in the area
- 78% had direct contact with Ambassadors
- 72% were satisfied or very satisfied with the interaction
- 59% felt safer since the program began
- 81% recommending the City keep investing in the program
Engagement will take place over the coming months to determine the best use of the program in Uptown while ambassadors are hired and trained.