Facing the Reality of True Public Safety in Minneapolis

Protecting Minneapolis Families Requires More Than Simple Fixes And Must Include A Comprehensive Approach Of Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, and Re-entry


There is no doubt we have been experiencing a public safety crisis in our city since the death of George Floyd. My family and I live in the middle of a hotspot ourselves, so I literally hear and see the urgency to do something about it. As a Council Member, it is my job to dig into the work to cultivate REAL safety in our community, not simply put band-aids on the problems like temporarily increasing the number of officers. History has proven that strategy will not only NOT actually address the problems in the present, but will also cause further harm to our community in the future.

For us to create real safety, we have to first unlearn what we have been taught our whole lives that policing equals public safety and public safety equals policing. We have to expand our understanding of public safety to include preventing violence before it happens, intervening in the violence taking place, targeted enforcement, and reentry supports when our neighbors are coming back to our community after being incarcerated. 

If we want a REAL solution to community violence, then we have to transform our current system to include the following:

  1. Alternative responses to 911 calls for mental health crises, opioid overdoses, and quality of life issues from homelessness 

  2. Build on the public health science of violence prevention and intervention by investing in strategies that focus on those most at-risk for being victims and/or perpetrators of violence

  3. Targeted enforcement through problem-oriented policing for issues like open air drug markets and gang violence

  4. Change the system of policing to better deploy resources and increase oversight and accountability, including a community panel that reviews grievances

  5. A new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention that would coordinate a transformed public safety system including all of the above mentioned strategies

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As the Ward 4 Councilmember, I will not operate with political convenience to just make the loudest voices happy before an election, while not affecting any real, meaningful change. I am putting my heart and soul into bringing true peace and prosperity to our Northside community. 

In doing so, I continue to operate with my deep principles of good governing, responsible stewardship of resources, and justice in the truest sense of the word. 

I will do my part, but we can only live in a safe community if we all do our part. I am grateful to be in community with so many brilliant neighbors, and look forward to continuing in this work with you. Community Safety is one major component in making sure our children have the bright and successful future they deserve.

Click this link to read about all of the Community Safety work my office accomplished in just three short years, as well as my plans for next term!

If you are interested in learning more about the comprehensive approach to public safety, below is a recommended reading list: