On Thursday, Jan. 23, four local neighborhood associations — representing the Lowry Hill, East Isles, Kenwood and Cedar-IslesDean neighborhoods — hosted a public safety information meeting at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church.
Approximately 160 people attended the event in person, while more than 70 others joined via livestream, reflecting the high level of community interest in the topic. The panel of career law enforcement personnel addressed those concerns with detail and passion.
Speakers included MPD Police Chief Brian O’Hara, Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette, Fifth Precinct Inspector Christie Nelson, Crime Prevention Specialist Faith Randal, MPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Garrett Parten, Park Police Lt. Calvin Nobles, 911 Dispatch Manager Deanna Douglas and 911 call-taker Kat Payne, and Minneapolis Safety Clubs founder Aileen Johnson.
Chief O’Hara began his remarks by making a lighthearted reference to the school bus that caught on fire that morning in front of the Scottish Rite Temple, saying it was an ignition fire, not arson, so we could put that rumor to rest. (And fortunately, no one was hurt.)
But in a serious vein, he went on to contrast the current state of the MPD with where it was even a year ago. He noted that when he started his tenure as chief, memories of the George Floyd murder and riots were fresh, community hostility was high, morale was at rock bottom, and staffing levels were at a historic low, reaching their nadir about a year ago. O’Hara said that morale has started to recover, and staffing levels are gradually improving, with the department set to welcome approximately 20 new officers next week, along with roughly 100 young people in various stages of becoming officers, whether as interns, cadets or community service officers. He noted that recruitment efforts to attract officers who better reflect the community they serve are paying off.
Panelists also addressed the persistent issue of juvenile crime, particularly repeat offenders. Sgt. Garrett Parten highlighted that this involves a relatively small group of offenders, virtually all well-known to the MPD, who are in desperate need of support and services.
Parten shared the example of a 10-year-old who — in addition to being a prolific repeat offender — had already witnessed two friends die by gun violence. He stressed that such cases require comprehensive services, which need to come together across multiple levels of government to be effective. Parten expressed optimism that increased attention to juvenile crime at the state legislature could lead to more coordinated efforts and meaningful progress.
During the Q&A session, Chief O’Hara encouraged community members to support law enforcement whenever possible, emphasizing that the MPD’s remaining officers chose to stay during a time of great adversity, and that new recruits show courage by stepping into their roles.
When asked to respond to a question about the effect of the Minneapolis City Council's budget cuts, he said they will have an impact. He noted that the budget has not gone up more than any other entity that sees the cost of doing business every year go up.
Addressing concerns about heightened immigration enforcement, O’Hara clarified that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and “literally not our job,” adding that officer training had recently been updated to address potential complexities. He also highlighted the difficulty of tackling crime effectively “if a whole lot of people are afraid to call the police.”
The event concluded with a standing ovation for the speakers, including Aileeen Johnson, whose remarkable work in creating safety teams was cited by many on the panel.
