As part of the new government structure approved by voters in November 2021, the City is creating the Office of Community Safety to better integrate and unify all safety functions. This office, led by a Commissioner of Community Safety, provides unified command, clear accountability, and coordinated service delivery among the City’s departments focused on community safety functions under the Mayor’s leadership and direction. The Commissioner is the head of the Office of Community Safety which encompasses the following departments: Emergency Communications (911); Emergency Management; Fire; Police; and a Neighborhood Safety Department that includes the previous Office of Violence Prevention.

In June 2022, City Council created the new, executive-level appointed position of Commissioner of the Office of Community Safety. In addition, Council created an administrative support role for the same office. Mayor Frey announced his nomination of Dr. Cedric Alexander to fill the Commissioner of Community Safety role on July 7, 2022. The nomination was approved by Council on August 4, 2022, and Dr. Cedric Alexander was sworn in as the City's first Commissioner of Community Safety on August 8, 2022. The implementation process for this new department is ongoing. Council will continue to review and discuss related governing structure ordinances. For more on the City's government type, please see the Form of Government page.

The Office of Community Safety's staffing levels in 2023 and moving forward reflect transfers from Neighborhood and Community Relations, Communications, and Police, including the Public Information Officers.

Proposal detail and background

The Council approves ongoing funding of $207,331 to fund a Chief of Staff for the Office of Community Safety. As part of the 2021 election, Minneapolis Voters elected to have the Minneapolis City Charter be amended to adopt a change in its form of government to an Executive Mayor-Legislative Council structure to shift certain powers to the Mayor, consolidating administrative authority over all operating departments under the Mayor, and eliminating the Executive Committee. As part of the government restructure, an Office of Community Safety was established to integrate the safety work of Police, Fire, 911, and Emergency Management and elevates the work of the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) to a new Neighbor Safety Department. This change item provides an FTE and funding for a Chief of Staff in the new Office of Community Safety, an essential position to successfully operate the Office of Community Safety.

Description of the change

The mission of the Chief of Staff position is to manage the operations of the Office of Community Safety, take responsibility for special assignments/projects and direct resources to achieve goals and objectives consistent with the objectives of the Commissioner of Community Safety.

This position will be responsible for the following activities, among other things:

1. Develop long range plans and oversee projects, strategies, personnel and equipment needs allocations for the department.
2. Prepare, implement, monitor and review comprehensive budget, including human resources, equipment, operations, maintenance, training and overtime.
3. Serve as a member of the Commissioner’s Executive Management Team.
4. Represent the Office of Community Safety at community engagement activities.
5. Represent the Office of Community Safety at state and national community safety conferences that further the Office’s mission surrounding procedure, grants, collaborative initiatives, etc.
6. Responsible of overseeing the implementation of all initiatives and ongoing strategies across the Office.
7. Represent the Office and/or Commissioner in lawsuit settlement conferences.
8. Represent the Office of Community Safety during city-council meetings on behalf of the Commissioner.
9. Present information and represent the Office of Community Safety at citizen/community meetings on behalf of the Commissioner.
10. Serve as a liaison between the Office of Community Safety administration and political constituents.
11. Present information to elected officials on behalf of the Commissioner.
12. Actively participate in labor relations including meeting and negotiating with applicable labor unions.
13. Serve as a member of the management bargaining team on behalf of the Office of Community Safety.
14. Oversee wellness grants and initiatives focused on employee wellness and resiliency.
15. Lead and manage personnel within assigned area and ensure policies and procedures are followed and hold direct reports accountable for department-wide initiative and overall employee performance.

Equity impacts and results

This investment will reduce racial disparities (anecdotal/no data).

Funding to support a Chief of Staff in the Office of Community Safety will have an equity impact. This position will be instrumental in developing policies that build community trust especially in communities that have been historically marginalized. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a core competency for all candidates being considered. Bringing an equity lens to community safety is a top priority of the City and this position.

Goal: Provide direct support to the Commissioner of Community Safety in ensuring the safety of all members of our community.

Objective:

• Enhance existing public safety programing.
• Increase community trust and police accountability.
• Offer an equivalent or better impact on public safety compared to current police effectiveness.
• Center the people and communities most impacted.

Metric:

• Number of complaint investigations.
• Number of arrests of POC vs. white people.
• Survey response data on community safety programs.

Numbers do not reflect departments supervised by the Office of Community Safety.

Numbers do not reflect departments supervised by the Office of Community Safety.

2023 and 2024 staffing levels reflect the change item position listed above

and internal transfers from Communications, Neighborhood & Community Relations, and Police.

See detailed information on department staffing in Schedule 5.