In response to safety concerns in all parts of the neighborhood, we convened the community and elected officials to collaboratively identify community-based solutions. You can find a recording of the meeting and notes below. As next steps coming out of the meeting, several groups were formed to have further discussion. If you would like to join a group or be added to the general safety email list, please let our office know.
To access a recording of the meeting, please click here.
9/17/20 EPNI Community Safety Meeting Notes
Hosts: Kim Forbes, EPNI President; Rebecca Thomas, EPNI Vice-President; Glen Johnson, EPNI Board Member & BLUH Chair; Vachel Hudson, EPNI Board Member & BLUH Vice-Chair
The meeting focused on: 1) sharing concerns, 2) identifying solutions, and 3) next steps.
Concerns:
Fear of police
Fear of crime
Police fear of Black men
Targeting of Black men by police
Need for better communications
Need to identify agreement about what makes a safe community
Worry about retaliation when calling police
Aggressive dogs
Signs of desperation
Staff afraid to come to work
Theft
Not being able to walk in/out of own home
People hanging out/passed out
Intimidation
Property damage
Gunfire
Assaults & threats
Trash
Used needles
Fighting
Noise
Folks needing access to help
Concerned to call police
Desire for good relationship with police
Encampments (Franklin Steele, Triangle Park, Triangle by Hwy & East Village)
Drug sales
Burglary at Segue Coffee
15th – 17th Street & Chicago Area:
Car drove through garden gate
Woman attacked in parking lot
Increased drug use
Litter
Fear – to sleep, for loved ones
Activity at all times of day and night
Stalking
Invasion of privacy
Assault and robbery with no response when called out for help
Groups gathering at night at Alex’s Used Cars
Camping in parking lot of Opportunity Center
Using trash areas as bathrooms
10th & Portland:
Speeding
Drag racing
Crashes
Police called with no know response
Solutions:
Encampment capacity and permits:
- tags for each tent permitted in park required (starting week of 9/21)
- 2 week renewal period for permits
- MPRB staff visits at least twice per week
Possibility of supplementing police if understaffed?
- Hennepin county/Metrotransit works downtown under joint program currently
- Officers can be moved out of other precincts in certain special circumstances
- Broader changes would need to come from higher levels of Mpls government - councilmember Osman investigating
Are there more immediate safety steps to implement?
- 311 for furniture and large trash objects in street
- Mental health response team list (make numbers available)
- Response team currently on hiatus due to COVID, and now officers needed for other responsibilities
- HAT (Homeless Action Team with MetroTransit) still active -group addressing people without housing or mental health concerns
- Cameras? Limited quantity available across city currently, get moved around as people get used to them being there, currently used in very high crime areas - can still be requested
Needle Boxes in neighborhood
- Can these be added in parks or in neighborhood?
- Partner with local leaders with stronger ties to those in the area
- Cultural credibility
- Conversations with those near Chicago and 15th-17th
Litter Solutions
- Adopt a Bin (like Adopt a Drain?)
- Periodic trash cleanup
- EPNI looking at restarting the Litter Be Gone event
17th and Chicago Bus Stop Changes
- This was done before. Could it be a help to change this?
- Removal of bus stop or change
Can police be assigned to Elliot Park beat so they know the neighbors?
- If police know the neighborhood and are present this could be very helpful
- Community service officer program
- Local residency for police officers
Next Steps:
Litter Be Gone Event
- EPNI hosting and looking for volunteers, email [email protected] if you want to help
Daily or every other day litter clean-up & patrol
- Brian, Jim, Mike D, Glen, Brian S, Danelle, Mobey
15th-17th & Chicago Group: making connections, addressing concerns, discussing bus stop
- Wendy, Patty, Julie, Lisa, Danelle, Stacy, Mobey
Learning more about how to get needle collection boxes
- Glen & Cassie
Need for better connection to the Somali community to help garner interest in these conversations
Outreach to local businesses
Learn more about community officer/beat cop possibility: Julie will email Renee
Request MPD camera: Danelle sent email
EPNI to schedule next community safety meeting and send emails to groups mentioned above to get connected
