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The public can hear updates from the ELEFA on the settlement agreement's first Semi-Annual Evaluation Report
Effective Law Enforcement For All (ELEFA) will host a public meeting on March 12 to share updates on their role as the independent evaluator of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights’ (MDHR) Settlement Agreement with the City of Minneapolis on police reform. Community members are invited to attend and learn from ELEFA about the City of Minneapolis’ and Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) path to meet the requirements of the MDHR Settlement Agreement.
During these public information sessions, community members can meet ELEFA’s independent evaluator team, learn about their role, and receive updates on implementation progress with a focus on MPD’s policies and training.
The meeting will be catered, with time provided beforehand for community members to share a meal and speak informally with the presenters. The meeting is open to the public including members of the media.
Date: Wednesday, March 12
Time: Food will be served at 5:30; Meeting will take place between 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Place: Ukrainian American Community Center, 301 NE Main St, Minneapolis, MN 55413.
If you have questions or require accommodation to attend, please contact outreach@elefamn.org.
Click here to view the event flyer. For more information about ELEFA, visit the ELEFA website.
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 Three months after the Lake Street Safety Center opened, South Minneapolis workers have noticed a difference in the area that has been known for crime. (Credit KSTP)
STORY FROM KSTP
The corner of East Lake Street near the Midtown Station has a history of violence. But some South Minneapolis workers have noticed a difference in the area, three months after the Lake Street Safety Center opened in November 2024.
“Our definition of community safety is that people are safe, but also that they feel safe and so that’s really important,” said Amanda Harrington with the Minneapolis Office of Community Safety. The safety center focuses on crime prevention and offers resources that range from affordable housing to addiction help. Officials said even though they’ve been open for a short time, there’s power in presence. “We still need to build trust in the community with the people who need services from that center, that it’s a place where they can come and get the things that they need,” Harrington said.
Learn more about the Lake Street Safety Center on the City's website.
Watch the news coverage
 Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara speaks at a press conference after the Minneapolis City Council agreed to the terms of a federal consent decree on Jan. 6, 2025. The city opposes a delay requested by the Department of Justice. (Photo by Ben Hovland, MPR News)
Since early January, Minneapolis leaders have been waiting for a federal judge to sign off on a consent decree that would hold the police department to court-enforced changes.
That limbo could be extended even further after a Minnesota assistant U.S. attorney and several members of the Department of Justice asked U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson Tuesday to stay the proceeding until March 20. Judge Magnuson granted the request Wednesday.
The move is not out of left field. A few days into his new administration, President Donald Trump’s DOJ leadership issued a memo directing attorneys to provide notice of any court-enforceable agreements to reform police agencies that had been finalized within the last 90 days. The memo said the new administration “may wish to reconsider” such agreements.
The court filing states that the city does not support the motion, however the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis agrees with the request.
Minneapolis city leaders have publicly supported the consent decree after working with the DOJ to reach an agreement since 2023 — when a federal investigation slammed the police department for patterns of racist policing and unjustifiable use of excessive force. Read the full article on the MPR News website.
Minneapolis police say they've been searching for answers to deal with brazen crimes and a new approach is yielding results. Last August, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara launched the Curfew Task Force.
Since its launch, Minneapolis police saw a 66% drop in new youth violent offenders, including auto thefts.
"This has been very successful at building trust in the community in an effort to try to save these kids from themselves," O'Hara said. O'Hara says his investigators are connecting with parents of kids with criminal records, and those relationships are leading to crime prevention.
Watch the news coverage
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The Minneapolis Police Foundation is organizing a fundraiser to help fellow officers attend National Police Week in Washington, D.C., allowing them to attend the memorial service for Officer Jamal Mitchell.
Each year, the Fraternal Order of Police holds a service at the U.S. Capitol to honor fallen officers across the nation. Officer Mitchell lost his life in the line of duty in Minneapolis in May 2024.
The memorial service will take place Thursday, May 15. Officer Mitchell’s name will be read aloud as survivors receive the posthumous Fraternal Order of Police Medal of Valor. More information is on GoFundMe.
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The city of Minneapolis is looking toward the success other cities have experienced in recruiting more women recently to become members of their respective fire departments.
The Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD), historically, has set the standard for female recruitment. In recent years, however, those recruiting numbers have fallen. The city is now studying what has worked in other cities recently to creatively find ways to recruit more women into MFD in the future.
Watch the news coverage
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A proposed pilot program to add cameras at traffic lights in an effort to reduce speeding and improve pedestrian safety could be debuted in several cities beginning this summer.
In 2024, lawmakers approved a pilot program in Mendota Heights and Minneapolis that would run from Aug. 1, 2025, to July 31, 2029, to allow for the implementation of automated cameras to monitor traffic law violations such as speeding and red light running. After that period, an independent evaluation of the pilot program would be reported to the Minnesota Legislature for review of its effectiveness.
As of February 2024, a total of 17 states use both red light and speeding enforcement through automated cameras in the U.S., while another nine use one or the other. The remaining states don’t currently utilize either system.
Watch the news coverage
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Minneapolis property owners can now enter the City Trees Lottery through March 14. Don’t be left out of the shade by missing the chance to purchase up to three low-cost trees at just $30 each.
Lottery information
- Enter the lottery by March 14
- Over 15 varieties of shade and evergreen trees available
- Trees are 3 to 7 feet tall
- Purchase includes:
- One bag of mulch
- Information about planting and caring for your trees
Benefits of trees
Trees offer environmental, economic, and mental health benefits. Planting trees can:
- Save you money on utility bills
- Shade and cool your property
- Connect us to our neighborhood roots
- Collect stormwater runoff
- Provide habitat for wildlife
- Improve our health and well-being
- Increase property values
Check out the video of last year's pick up day
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OCS In the News
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