The Future of Public Safety in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is being transformed by what has taken place. More voices are being included in our city’s plan for an equitable society, many new public/private alliances are being formed, and the world is watching as we reimagine the future of public safety.

Have any changes to public safety funding taken place?

Yes, a small portion of the 2021 Minneapolis Police Department budget (less than 5%) was reallocated to fund or enhance funding for different public safety programs, departments and initiatives, many of which are part of the Office of Violence Prevention. Examples include:

Mental Health Co-Responder Program
Community Group Outreach and Intervention
Gang Violence Intervention
Hospital Based Intervention
911 Training on assessing and responding to mental health issues and situations
De-escalation and restorative justice training
Moving all parking related calls to Traffic Control
Assigning non-police staff to respond to theft and property damage calls

More recently, on June 23, 2021, President Joe Biden announced that “the Administration will convene and support a Community Violence Intervention (CVI) collaborative of 15 jurisdictions that are committing to use a portion of their American Rescue Plan funding or other public funding to increase investment in their CVI infrastructure, including to anticipate and respond to the potential rise in violence this summer.” Minneapolis is one of those jurisdictions.

Additionally, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s proposal for the first round of American Rescue Plan funding, which includes an additional $13.7 million for policing and public safety initiatives, was approved by City Council members on July 2. According to Mayor Frey, The strategies that we are advancing here in Minneapolis are aligned with President Biden’s collaborative Community Violence Intervention initiative…”

Have any policing changes taken place?

Yes, changes implemented by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) include:

Banning neck restraints or choke holds for any reason.
Requiring MPD officers to use the lowest level of force needed to safely engage a subject and to first consider all reasonable alternatives before using deadly force.
Requiring any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force to immediately report the incident while still on scene to their commander or their commander’s superiors.
Requiring any member of the MPD who observes another member of the MPD use any unauthorized use of force to attempt to safely intervene by verbal and physical means.
Allowing only the police chief or the chief’s designee at the rank of deputy chief or above to authorize the use of crowd control weapons during protests and demonstrations.
Requiring the police chief to make timely discipline decisions.
Not allowing officers involved in critical incidents – including the use of deadly force – to review body camera footage prior to completing an initial police report.
Banning unannounced entry or no-knock warrants except in extreme cases like a hostage situation and requiring MPD officers to announce their presence and purpose prior to entry.
Not allowing officers to deactivate their body camera to discuss issues privately on scene while an event is still in progress.

What additional measures are in place to de-escalate tension and provide support in the community?

The City of Minneapolis selected seven community organizations to provide positive outreach and support services during and after the trials. These organizations are A Mother’s Love, Center for Multicultural Mediation, Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), Corcoran Neighborhood Organization and T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, Change Equals Opportunity (CEO), Restoration Inc., and We Push for Peace. These organizations will provide positive outreach and community engagement, support two-way communication between communities and the City, de-escalate, mediate and resolve conflicts if needed, and share information about existing City and community supports and help community members access them. Contracts run through Dec. 31, 2021.

Are any other discussions or actions taking place around the future of public safety in Minneapolis?

Several proposals have been advanced related to the future of public safety in the city:

On July 2, 2021, the Minneapolis City Council approved Mayor Frey’s spending proposal for the first round of American Rescue Plan funding, which includes an additional $13.7 million for policing and public safety initiatives designed to prevent and interrupt gun violence. The strategies are aligned with President Biden’s collaborative Community Violence Intervention initiative announced on June 23, 2021.
In mid-May, Mayor Frey – along with the police chief, members of the city council and community leaders – proposed a new “Minneapolis Model for community safety and accountability.” There are four key priority areas: summer 2021 safety response; targeted investments and resources; policing accountability and culture shift; and safety beyond policing and alternate response. Full details are here.
A coalition of grassroots, community organizations and individuals have submitted a petition for the formation of a new public safety department "responsible for integrating its public safety functions into a comprehensive public health approach to safety." The Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Frey will vote on the wording for this proposal that will appear on the November ballot.

I've seen images of destruction and damaged buildings in Minneapolis. How might that affect visitors and/or meeting and convention attendees?

Most of the damage that occurred in Minneapolis in the summer of 2020 took place away from the Minneapolis Convention Center and away from the city’s downtown core. The two neighborhoods impacted the most saw hundreds of volunteers immediately step in to help clean up and businesses are rebuilding. A limited area of downtown experienced damage from an isolated incident of unrest late last summer.

Will I be safe when I’m in Minneapolis?

Local law enforcement works hard to ensure the safety and well-being of residents, workers and visitors to Minneapolis. In addition, MPD, Metro Transit Police and the Hennepin County Sherriff’s Department work together, as needed, with a common goal of keeping our city safe. Plus, community and business leaders throughout the city work together on multiple initiatives to help ensure a safe environment for visitors and residents. This includes easily identifiable Downtown Improvement District (DID) Ambassadors who help visitors with directions and information, providing roughly 89,000 pedestrian assists each year. Additionally, Minneapolis downtown partners are connected to a Safety Communications Center. It’s located in the Minneapolis Police Department’s First Precinct and focuses on rapid responses for inquiries or incidents when needed.