Brooke Blakey, outgoing Director of the Saint Paul Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS), recently reflected on her three-year tenure and the significant impact of the department's efforts on community safety. Blakey's approach has yielded a 33% decrease in homicides in Saint Paul for 2025, surpassing previous years' statistics, as reported by the City of Saint Paul's official news outlet. Impressively, the Saint Paul Police Department achieved a 73% clearance rate on non-fatal shootings, figures that Blakey acknowledges are not solely the result of police work but also a testament to the collaboration between ONS and local law enforcement.
The innovative strategies implemented by ONS, including a partnership with Project PEACE and a commitment to hiring Saint Paul residents as life coaches, have been instrumental in the downturn of gun violence. "Those life coaches out there are why our gun violence is down," Blakey remarked in an interview with the ONS Podcast, "We are working with young people ... in ways that no one has ever worked with them before." The program, under Faith Lofton's leadership, focuses on supporting young individuals at risk of engaging in violent activities, an approach that has paid dividends in fostering safer communities.
In addition to addressing gun violence, the ONS ventured into broader social determinants of crime, such as housing quality, opioid addiction, and mental health support, earning it the moniker of the "fix-it department" within the city infrastructure. This whole-city method has led to coordinated efforts across various civic departments, culminating in initiatives like the Goals Not Guns program being adopted by local schools, which has further been bolstered by a significant grant for developing new public safety metrics.
Blakey also spearheaded projects that aimed to provide comprehensive victim services, extending beyond gun violence to include support for those affected by fires and housing displacement, she ensures that the success of her department doesn't exploit the very people it aims to serve, "being very conscious about how we celebrate those wins," Blakey told the ONS Podcast, advocating for the discreet acknowledgment of ONS’s victories in maintaining public trust and dignity.
With Blakey's departure, the future of ONS's initiatives remains a priority as she envisages a Saint Paul where neighborhood safety is integral to city operations, mirroring the established presence of departments like the Police and Fire Department. "For the City of Saint Paul, it will be the legacy I left that ONS is still there," Blakey envisioned during her exit interview, according to the City of Saint Paul, imagining the longevity and normalization of the department she helped found. Her work has not only reduced crime rates but also heeded the call for a more compassionate and connected approach to public safety, one that resonates with the spirit of communal responsibility and resilience.
