 Director Rachel Sayre speaks at the podium at the swearing in ceremony held on Oct. 21 at the City’s Emergency Operations and Training Facility. From left to right, Office of Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette, City Clerk Casey Carl, Director Sayre, and Mayor Jacob Frey.
Rachel Sayre, nominated by Mayor Jacob Frey in August to be the next director of the Minneapolis Emergency Management Department (EMD), was sworn into office on Oct. 21. Joined by friends, family, and a number of officials at the City’s Emergency Operations and Training Facility (EOTF), Sayre leads the department that is tasked with guiding the city and its residents in preparing for and responding to any type of emergency or disaster.
A native of the Twin Cities, Sayre has served in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance where she was most recently a Senior Humanitarian Advisor, mentoring and training incoming leaders on disaster response and team leadership. Sayre has also led USAID international disaster risk reduction efforts and humanitarian aid responses in dozens of countries, including war and disaster zones in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and Haiti. In addition, she was the Senior Advisor to USAID’s Administrator in 2014-2015, where one of her many accomplishments included overseeing efforts combatting the international Ebola epidemic.
The EMD is one of the five departments in the Office of Community Safety (OCS), playing a pivotal role in safeguarding our community by preparing for potential disasters, effectively managing responses, supporting recovery efforts, and reducing future risks. This is done through a structured approach in order to best address the various crises a city can face. Sayre is well versed in this area, having previously served in multiple leadership roles in responding to humanitarian disasters worldwide. She has qualified as an ICS-equivalent Response Leader for, a system similar to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System structure which the City has been further evolving for its own capabilities.
Sayre is succeeding former EMD Director Barret Lane, who resigned earlier this year.
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 MPD K9 Unit members who competed at the U.S. Police Canine Association National Patrol Dog Field Trials (from left to right) Head Trainer Officer Joe Fuller and K9 Rock, Sergeant Brian Thureson and K9 Riggs, Officer Matt Lindquist and K9 Copper, Officer Oscar Macias and K9 Kona, and Officer John Yang and K9 Cash.
Congratulations to the five Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Canine (K9) Unit officers who earned 2nd place as the ‘Top Department Team' at the United States Police Canine Association National Patrol Dog Field Trials, held on Oct. 6-10 in Baton Rogue, La. With the country’s best K9s in attendance, the MPD team was well represented at the national competition, which tested police K9s and their handlers in four core components: Obedience, Evidence Recovery, Suspect Search, and Criminal Apprehension and Control.
Unit members who competed included Head Trainer Officer Joe Fuller and K9 Rock, Officer Oscar Macias and K9 Kona, Officer Matt Lindquist and K9 Copper, Officer John Yang and K9 Cash, and Sergeant Brian Thureson and K9 Riggs.
In addition to the MPD K9 Unit’s ‘Top Department’ title, officers and their K9s also earned individual awards. Overall, Officer Yang, Officer Fuller, and Sergeant Thureson placed in the top 20 individually. In addition, Officer Lindquist and K9 Copper finished in 2nd place in the Criminal Apprehension event in bite work.
The K9 Unit advanced to the national competition after an incredibly successful performance at the regional level. On June 16-18, MPD handlers and K9s competed in Wright County, Minn. at the United States Police Canine Association Region 12 competition, where multiple officers placed in the top categories with near perfect scores. In the overall category, MPD officers and their K9s took home the 1st through 4th place categories, the Top Department team title, as well as seven individual awards in the core component competition.
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The free two-day training teaches the basics of emergency preparedness
 The City of Minneapolis Emergency Management Department hosted Ready Camp, a free two-day training for community members to learn the basics of emergency preparedness on Oct. 22 and 23. Hosted four times a year, attendees receive six hours of training over the course of two days, learning knowledge and skills to build an emergency kit, develop a communication plan, prepare for severe weather emergencies and recovery from an emergency or disaster. Learn more about Ready Camp on the City of Minneapolis website.
With Election Day just a couple weeks away, the main Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., is extending voting hours. Elections & Voter Services is also opening two more early voting sites. Anyone who can vote in Minneapolis on Election Day can vote early at these sites or any of the pop-up voting events regardless of where they live in the city.
Urban League at 2100 Plymouth Ave. N. and Bethel Lutheran Church at 4120 17th Ave. S. are also open to serve Minneapolis voters.
The last day of early voting is Monday, Nov. 4, which is the day before Election Day. Voting hours on Nov. 4 are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Minneapolis residents can visit one of our 11 one-day pop-up early voting locations to cast their ballot. Each of these sites is open one day only between Tuesday, Oct. 22, and Friday, Nov. 1.
Find all the early voting dates, times and locations on the City website.
One-day in-person early voting locations
Minneapolis residents can visit one of our 11 one-day pop-up early voting locations to cast their ballot. Each of these sites is open one day only between Tuesday, Oct. 22, and Friday, Nov. 1.
Find pop-up voting locations, dates and other details on the City website.
Early voting by mail
Voters can apply to vote by mail and check on the status of their mailed ballot on the City’s website. We recommend applying for a mail ballot no later than Oct. 29. Consider applying earlier if you plan to both receive your ballot by mail and mail your ballot back. Ballots can also be dropped off at any early voting location during voting hours. Your ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. Ballots may be dropped off until 8 p.m. on Election Day at Election & Voter Services, 980 E. Hennepin Ave. Ballots may not be returned to the polls on Election Day.
Preparing for Election Day
If you’re planning to cast your ballot on Election Day, Nov. 5:
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The Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services Division is responsible for administering elections in the City of Minneapolis. For information about registering and voting in Minneapolis, go to the City website.
OCS In the News
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