Minneapolis is taking a new approach in its goal to revitalize Uptown: New safety patrols will be coming to the neighborhood in November.
The city plans to assign eight community safety ambassadors to Uptown. Those city employees are trained to give first aid, offer people connections to social services when needed, and check in with local businesses about crime and livability.
At a press conference along Hennepin Avenue on Tuesday, Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette said it’s meant to improve safety without relying solely on police.
“We’ve learned that the community wants officers to do more than answer to 911 calls. We’ve also learned that every 911 call does not require an officer to be present,” Barnette said.
The city’s Community Safety Ambassador program is currently running as a pilot project, with ambassadors patrolling neighborhoods along Lake Street and Franklin Avenue. Staff plan to spend $1 million — already allocated to the program — to expand it to Uptown.
The pilot project started last year. City officials said it’s taking time to get it off the ground, as they hire and train staff and collect data on results in the first pilot locations.
Police have also stepped up patrols in Uptown. The department assigned a patrol unit to the neighborhood in December, following a recent uptick in 911 calls to Uptown. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said those were mostly calls about drug use, theft and public nuisance.
O’Hara said those increased patrols may be helping: Calls related to drug use are down so far in April.
City Council member Elizabeth Shaffer said the city is working to provide more help for people facing addiction and homelessness, but that Uptown needs policing enforcement, too.
“True compassion comes with boundaries,” Shaffer said. “Meeting people where they are at does not mean anything goes, and we are working to get this balance right.”
Officials and residents agreed there’s not just one solution to ongoing concerns about Uptown’s future.
Local resident Kevin Norman runs Uptown United, a group working to get more people out and about in the neighborhood. The organization is leading Friday and Saturday night walks through the area to spark foot traffic and bring customers to local businesses.
Norman said Uptown isn’t necessarily unsafe, and he’s seeing new businesses open and draw in customers. He’s hoping the new efforts will change negative perceptions of the area.
“I don’t think you’re going to find a neighborhood in Minneapolis that has more pride than Uptown does,” Norman said. “We don’t have to necessarily wait around for politicians to fix all of our problems. We can kind of take our part and do some things to make a change ourselves.”
City officials said they’ll be seeking input from residents in the coming months on what services locals would like to see from the new community safety ambassadors.