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New pilot program will provide preventative safety efforts along E. Lake Street and E. Franklin Avenue corridors
 Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID)
The City of Minneapolis Neighborhood Safety Department (NSD) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), asking for organizations to participate in a Community Safety Ambassador pilot program within the E. Lake Street and E. Franklin Avenue districts. Set to launch in Spring 2025, Community Safety Ambassadors will serve as a new neighborhood resource, directly engaging with area residents, visitors and business owners. They will be a visible and welcoming presence serving as a bridge to connect, assist, and inform those in the area. They could also be utilized to address safety concerns or assist with other issues.
The RFP, which closes on Dec. 19, is seeking qualified non-profit, neighborhood, faith-based or cultural organizations to manage teams of street-based Safety Ambassadors who will patrol their designated areas five days per week. In the proposals, organizations should:
- Demonstrate their familiarity with the geographic and demographic makeup of the E. Lake Street and E. Franklin Avenue cultural districts and, through an equity lens, how the experience will be used in the proposed services.
- Describe experiences with de-escalation and culturally specific information-sharing.
- Demonstrate experience in communicating and educating the public in a community setting.
- Provide detailed approaches on how they will conduct check-ins and share security-related information with businesses in the area.
- Provide specific examples of cross-collaboration and coordination efforts with other entities.
Submit a proposal to join pilot program
Find more information and to view the full bid package visit the City's eSupplier portal and navigate to "Go to eSupplier" then "Contracting Opportunities." All proposals must be submitted through the portal by 12:00 p.m. on Dec. 19.
 More services are now available for community at the new Lake Street Safety Center, which officially opened on Nov. 4.
The new Lake Street Safety Center is open at 2228 E. Lake St. next to the METRO Light Rail Lake Street/Midtown Station. The safety center features both City and community-based resources and social services. More service providers are now available for the community to access.
Service providers in the center include:
City's 311 Department Safety Center Agents
Community members can walk in five days a week and get help with non-emergency issues and information on City services. The safety center agents can also connect you with the right support service, depending on your needs.
Community Navigators
They provide cultural or issue-specific support to victims and survivors of crimes.
Crime prevention specialists
They can help you with safety concerns and resolve conflicts.
Lake Street Safety Coordinator
The Lake Street Safety Coordinator can help business and property owners in the area.
LEAD Minneapolis
They provide care and support to individuals in need of services in the E. Lake St. corridor.
Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC)
They offer peer recovery support for the East African Community struggling with substance use disorder. They offer housing services, such as rental help and rapid rehousing.
For more information on the services and their office hours, visit the City website.
The center is open weekdays: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Host a meeting at the Lake Street Safety Center
Community members can now request to book the conference room to host a meeting. The room comfortably seats 8 people. Wi-fi and a large screen TV with HDMI hook-up is available. Groups must bring their own laptop and any other equipment they need.
You can learn more about how to book the conference room on the City website.
Help spread the word
You can help spread the word about the new safety center. Residents, community groups, or businesses can use the printable resources to share information.
 Community members receive a progress update on the safety centers on Dec. 2 at the Minneapolis American Indian Center.
Community members have two more opportunities to receive safety center updates from the Office of Community Safety. The purpose of the community engagement meetings is to share progress with residents and stakeholders about the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center and Lake Street Safety Center. Community members are invited to learn about services and resources in the centers and how community feedback is being used to shape plans. They can also learn about other safety-related programs in the city.
Online
5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17
Zoom link coming soon. It will be posted on the City website.
Ward 2
Time and location TBD, January 2025
Learn more on the event flyer in English, Español, Af-Soomaali, Hmoob, and Oromo.
More information about the update sessions is provided on the City website.
 The Minneapolis City Council honored the Minneapolis Police Department's (MPD) Community Service Officer (CSO) program by passing a resolution at the Dec. 5 council meeting. The MPD CSO program first began in 1970, but was later revitalized and gained more traction in the early 2000s. Since 2005, over 300 CSOs have become Minneapolis police officers. The CSO program has been a strong recruitment strategy to attract dedicated and diverse new officers to the department.
"I cannot tell you how proud I am of the young men and women who have stepped forward to serve this city," said MPD Chief Brian O'Hara at the meeting. "The CSO program that we have in Minneapolis is incredible. It is an opportunity, particularly for young people from our City, to get a job where they can get a salary, and the City also pays for them to go to college. At the end of college, they can have a career that can literally be life-changing."
The CSO program is a clearly established pathway for community youth to enter the law enforcement profession. There are currently 28 CSOs who are part of the program, ranging from recent high school graduates to young adults who are passionate about serving the Minneapolis community. Many of the CSOs speak multiple languages, have family members who have served or currently serve on the force, and express their desire to specifically serve the City of Minneapolis.
Students partake in the three-year program that pays for a college education while they work for the Minneapolis Police Department. After finishing their degree, CSOs complete one year of theory and skills training before entering the police academy.
Learn more about the pathway to becoming a CSO on the City website. You can also read the honorary resolution.
 Learn the basics of emergency preparedness at Ready Camp, hosted by the City of Minneapolis' Emergency Management department, on Jan. 21 and 22. The free two-day training at the Emergency Operations Training Facility will provide you knowledge and skills to build an emergency kit, develop a communication plan, prepare for severe weather emergencies and recovery from an emergency or disaster.
All ages are welcome. Children who are 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Registration will open on Dec. 15 on the Eventbrite website. Class capacity is 50 people.
View the Ready Camp flyer for additional information.
Questions about Ready Camp can be directed to LaVina Branscomb, Emergency Management communication and outreach coordinator, at lavina.branscomb@minneapolismn.gov.
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