Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis is entering the new year sporting a new mustache and a plan to bolster public safety by aggressively recruiting police officers and retaining current ones, according to an interview with FOX 9. Despite a recent spike in December homicides, Frey highlighted an overall reduction in violent crime for most of 2023, even though the Minneapolis Police Department is operating with nearly 200 officers below its minimum staffing number. In response to crime data disclosing a drop in carjackings and shot-fired calls but an uptick in sex offenses, assaults, car thefts, and property damage, Mayor Frey expressed confidence in his team, including Chief Brian O’Hara and the new community safety commissioner, Todd Barnette.
In the realm of homelessness, Mayor Frey addressed the situation at Camp Nenookaasi, where the city has worked with Helix to transition residents to more stable housing, a move yielding connections to housing options for 73 individuals with another 14 slated to move soon; Frey emphasized the necessity for compassionate care while acknowledging the safety risks of large-scale homeless encampments, as reported by FOX 9.
Turning to urban revitalization, Mayor Frey highlighted the 1,800 events that took place downtown this past year and shared his vision for transforming Nicollet Mall into a social district that thoughtfully incorporates businesses, entertainment, and music to attract pedestrians, and he discussed converting office buildings into residential spaces to adapt to the remote work era, acknowledging the challenges linked to costs according to a FOX 9 report. He also indicated support for the new state flag design and the idea of a new city flag for Minneapolis.
Reflecting on the past year in a WCCO interview, Mayor Frey dubbed 2023 a "defining year" that witnessed a sixfold increase in "deeply affordable" housing units without a significant rise in average rents, these efforts are part of larger attempts to grapple with housing issues that the mayor said are "working", the impact of a global pandemic has reshaped the work landscape, with areas like North Loop thriving due to a mixed-use approach that he sees as a model for success in downtown Minneapolis.
Frey did not shy away from MPD's challenges during his mayoral tenure, including the fallout from George Floyd's death, 2023 marked by a consent decree signed between the city, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, necessitating major overhauls in operations, and with approximately 200 officer positions to fill, Frey promised a commitment to recruitment in 2024, urging those who "want to make a difference and keep people safe" to join the force and become part of the community's resilience as Minneapolis faces its issues head-on in a statement given to WCCO.
