DOJ announces Minneapolis as National Public Safety Partnership site

On November 3, Department of Justice (DOJ) Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta announced that Minneapolis has been selected as a 2023 National Public Safety Partnership site in cooperation with the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  

The DOJ will provide Minneapolis with intensive training and technical assistance (TTA) in the areas of gun violence, criminal justice collaboration, investigations, constitutional policing, community engagement, federal partnerships, crime analysis, and technology to identify strategies that target gun, drug and gang violence. 

In a statement issued by the Justice Department, the partnership will prioritize civil rights and constitutional policing, support crime victims, protect the public from evolving threats, and build up the capacity of the Minneapolis Police Department. “This model enables the DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges.” 

The National Public Safety Partnership initiative has already joined more than 40 sites with dozens of success stories, including strategies that target gun, drug and gang violence.

 Assistance Chief Beatrice Grimala, a 37-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, will serve as the strategic site liaison to the Minneapolis Police Department. Rising through the ranks of the LAPD, Grimala credits her continued dedication, energy and inspiration to the men and women of patrol, who are the first line of defense in the preservation of our values and freedoms in the public arena. 

“We are fortunate that Minneapolis has been chosen as one of five cities nationwide to be a National Public Safety Partnership site, a program that provides federal assistance and expertise to cities to reduce crime, improve clearance rates, and enhance the quality of life for residents,” said Minneapolis Chief of Police Brian O’Hara. 

“We look forward to using this partnership to enhance the existing work with U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, as well as all our federal, state, county, and community-based partners, to reduce serious crime while earning people’s trust.” 

The three-year National Public Safety Partnership is set to begin this month.