Like many of you, I am still struggling to process the heartbreak of the Aug. 27 shooting that took the lives of two young children and left many others injured at Annunciation Church. We are grieving together — as parents, neighbors, and community members — and I know the sadness, anger, and frustration run deep.
What gives me strength in moments like this are the stories of resilience. The heroic actions of those at Annunciation Church, the brave and swift response of our first responders, and the way our greater community has shown up for each other. These stories give us hope and reinforce why our work is so important.
Even when the challenges feel overwhelming, please know that we won't stop pushing forward. Our OCS departments — Police, Fire, 911, Emergency Management, and Neighborhood Safety — continue to show what’s possible when we work side by side with community partners. Together, we are building new approaches to safety and reshaping how our City responds to crises. We are committed to building a city where everyone feels safe and supported in their homes and neighborhoods.
Welcome to the Commissioner’s Corner. Each month, I’ll share updates on our community safety work and the progress we’re making together.
At its core, the OCS' mission is simple but vital: everyone in Minneapolis — residents, community members, and visitors alike — deserves to feel safe and confident living, working, and gathering anywhere in our city. Achieving that takes a modern, comprehensive approach: preventing violence before it happens, ensuring the right response at the right time, and helping individuals and communities heal after harm.
This work isn’t done by one department alone. It’s a collaboration across our Police, Fire, 911, Emergency Management, and Neighborhood Safety departments — in addition to our entire City enterprise; our County, State, and Federal partners; community organizations; and residents like you. Together, we are creating a community safety approach that reflects our values of trust, equity, and shared responsibility by providing the right response at the right time.
Embedded Social Worker at 911
This fall, we are piloting a new partnership with Hennepin County to place a social worker inside our 911 call center. Many calls to 911 are related to mental health, substance use, or other crises that don’t always require a police response.
The new embedded social worker will:
- Respond directly to certain non-emergency calls.
- Provide crisis intervention, counseling, and follow-up with residents.
- Connect people to resources such as mental health care, addiction treatment, and housing support.
This approach means people in crisis can get the right help faster. You can read more about this exciting new pilot on the City's website.
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Community Safety Ambassadors on E. Lake St. and E. Franklin Ave.
Another example of meeting community needs in new ways is the launch of our Community Safety Ambassadors program. This pilot, led by our Neighborhood Safety Department, places trained ambassadors along E. Franklin Ave. and E. Lake St.
Wearing their recognizable blue shirts, ambassadors focus on building relationships, being a visible presence, and offering proactive support — whether that’s checking in with business owners, connecting people to resources, or simply walking with someone who doesn’t feel safe.
By working directly in these culturally rich districts, the ambassadors are strengthening trust, uplifting community voices, and helping residents feel safer in their daily lives. Read a story about this new community-driven safety response on our OCS stories webpage.
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Traffic Control Response to Non-Injury Collisions
We are also exploring a pilot program to allow trained traffic control agents to respond to non-injury vehicle crashes. This change could free up police officers for higher-priority calls, reduce wait times for drivers, and improve efficiency across our emergency response system.
Working on community safety together
The last couple weeks have reminded us how much work lies ahead. But they also remind us of the strength in our community. We will keep pushing forward — together — until every Minneapolis family feels safe in their home, in their neighborhood, and in our city.
Thank you for your resilience, your partnership, and your trust. We are all safer when we work together.
— Toddrick Barnette, Commissioner
City of Minneapolis Office of Community Safety
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