Interview Background
Better Minneapolis has seen Commissioner Barnette speak multiple times. We’ve watched him get heckled at community safety meetings, provide updates to a sometimes-hostile city council, and read various interviews. However, sitting down with him to discuss a range of topics gave us deeper insight into his role and the tasks he’s been assigned. Before the interview, we had to look up when he started—October 2023. It was somewhat surprising because it feels like he’s been in the role longer. With less than a year on the job, he’s trying to rebuild a depleted police force and provide structure to the sprawling Neighborhood Safety Department.
To understand the blueprint driving Commissioner Barnette’s work, we need to examine the 143-page Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Report. The creation of this report began in 2022, before Barnette’s appointment, and was led by Dr. Antonio M. Oftelie, Executive Director of Leadership for a Networked World and Fellow at the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard University. The report was funded by The Pohlad Family Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and The Minneapolis Foundation. It required interviews across multiple city and county organizations and provides a detailed outline for the Community Safety ecosystem. The report contains numerous recommendations and is intended to help the city comply with the agreement it made with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, as well as the additional consent decree expected from the Department of Justice.
To guide the implementation of the report's recommendations, the city signed a $1 million contract with the NYU School of Law’s Reimagining Public Safety Policing Project in November 2023. This contract extends through November 2025, with the first report expected in October. Notably, the contract was awarded without an RFP or competitive bid due to “urgent circumstances during 2020.” This contract continues the work of Dr. Oftelie, co-author of the Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities Report.
One of Commissioner Barnette’s primary tasks, along with the Office of Community Safety, is to improve collaboration among five departments: Police, Fire, 911, Emergency Management, and Neighborhood Safety. Weekly meetings bring together all department leaders to discuss ways to enhance their operations. There are 1,316 people across these departments, 11 of whom are in the Office of Community Safety. We expect Commissioner Barnette and his team to be methodical as they strive to bring sustainability, transparency, compliance, and accountability to the organization. It’s a challenging assignment.
Report Implementation
Implementing the report’s recommendations is part of a long-term vision for the future. The key question for residents is whether they have the patience for this transformation. With no statistics yet to support the effectiveness of non-police alternatives, we’ll all be waiting to see if the millions of dollars being funneled into nonprofit violence interrupters and community safety centers result in the improved public safety we’re anxious to see.
Interview Topics
Below are the main topics we discussed. Toward the end, we touched on the recent lawsuit settlement Commissioner Barnette signed, which will change policies and introduce much-needed accountability into the Neighborhood Safety Department. Expect a future article to delve into this settlement in greater detail.
Overview of the Office of Community Safety
Focus on establishing the Neighborhood Safety Department
Compliance with the Minnesota settlement agreement and completing negotiations with the Department of Justice
Update on recruitment and staffing of the MPD and 911
Clarification that there is one police chief, O’Hara
Behavioral Crisis Response
Lake Street Community Safety Center Pilot and the future Southside Community Safety Center
Expanding the Downtown Improvement District model to the entire city
An automated transcript of the interview has been generated. We ask that a written request be submitted before reprinting any portion of the interview.
Interview with Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette