Minneapolis Council Votes to Abolish Office of Community Safety
The move comes after the department, created in the wake of George Floyd's murder, was criticized for lacking "meaningful outcomes" and exceeding its budget.
The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote on eliminating its Office of Community Safety, a department established in 2022 following the murder of George Floyd. Council members argue the department has failed to produce tangible results and has experienced significant budget overruns.
The office, overseen by Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette, was intended to reform public safety in the city. Barnette, who earns nearly $350,000 annually, has been responsible for the police department, the fire department, and 911 services since 2023. However, critics on the council contend that his leadership has not yielded the desired improvements.
A public hearing on the proposal to dismantle the office is scheduled for October 27. The move has drawn criticism from Mayor Jacob Frey, who championed the creation of the office. Frey stated that the office manages essential services such as mental health response, violence prevention, and police reform, and expressed concern that eliminating it without a clear plan would jeopardize public safety.
"This office — one that these council members advocated for — manages services like mental health response, violence prevention and police reform," Mayor Frey said. "If council members want these services in jeopardy, that's on them. This wholesale elimination without a plan, combined with other proposed cuts to MPD, is not a serious proposal when it comes to public safety in our city."
Earlier in the year, Mayor Frey renominated Barnette for his position, but the City Council rejected the nomination. Barnette has indicated his intention to step down in December.
Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai has previously pointed to fiscal mismanagement within the departments Barnette oversees, noting that they have repeatedly exceeded their budgets, in some cases by tens of millions of dollars. Conversely, Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw has defended Barnette's work, citing positive community feedback and a perceived increase in connection to public safety.
Council President Elliott Payne has been a vocal critic of Barnette's performance, stating that he has not met expectations for the role. Payne has cited Barnette's perceived absence, detachment from the role, lack of presence at key meetings, and insufficient transparency and communication from his office as significant concerns.
