Minneapolis launches $3M pilot program aimed at violence prevention, community outreach

Mpls launches pilot violence prevention program

Minneapolis city officials have launched a new pilot program meant to prevent violence and connect community resources to those who need them. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the full story.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The city of Minneapolis launched a pilot program on Wednesday aimed at preventing violence, connecting residents with community services, and addressing quality of life concerns. 

Minneapolis safety ambassadors aim to prevent violence, connect with the community 

What we know:

The pilot program launched on Wednesday as 10 community safety ambassadors spent the day walking around several blocks in south Minneapolis, hoping to prevent violence and foster relationships with residents. 

The ambassadors differ from violence interrupters, who focus solely on violence. The initial phase will focus on the East Lake Street and East Franklin Avenue corridors.

How much will it cost:

The city council approved $3 million for the pilot program. The initial phase focused on south Minneapolis will cost about $475,000. 

What they're saying:

"There’s street-level activation that shows we actually care about our community, there’s hospitality — you know, ‘Where’s the concert?’ in the case of downtown, or on Lake Street it might be ‘Where’s the best taco place? Where’s the library?’ Things like that," explained Amanda Harrington, the Minneapolis Neighborhood Safety Department director. "We’re also going to find out do people feel safer by having this service in the community, so there’ll be surveys. We’ll ask people who have had interactions with the safety ambassadors to complete a survey."

What's next:

City officials will review the program after six months and consider whether to expand it to other neighborhoods.