Chief Janeé Harteau and Mayor Betsy Hodges are announcing three community conversations in October. These forums, which are open to the public, will further help the MPD connect with our neighborhoods and communities, and will move us all closer to our collective goal of increasing public safety and public trust.
The October community conversations, called “Let’s Move Forward,†will be held on the following dates and times:
-  October 8, 6:30-8:00 pm at Macedonia Baptist Church, 3801 1st Avenue South
- Â October 14, 7:00-8:30 pm at Church of the Ascension, 1723 Bryant Avenue North
-  October 30, 6:30-8:00 pm in Cedar–Riverside, location TBA
In addition, Chief Harteau is announcing the start of “Chat with the Chief,†a monthly initiative that will begin in October. The Chief regularly works in the city’s 5 police precincts and she is excited to invite community members to the precincts to openly chat with her, one-on-one, in an open house setting. Details and dates for this initiative will be announced on the Minneapolis Police Department’s Facebook page and Twitter account (@MPD_PIO).
This path forward on continued community engagement is an extension of Chief Harteau’s MPD 2.0 plan. The plan has put our cops out of cars, putting them out on the streets to connect face-to-face with residents. It also creates a culture of accountability and provides a greater level of transparency for all the stakeholders in the City.
“MPD 2.0 has grown in the past year and a half. Many of these progressive changes are the result of thoughtful and creative community recommendations. MPD 2.0 is a different, non-traditional, grassroots way of connecting on a personal level with the residents of Minneapolis. I’m incredibly proud of how engaged our community is on public safety issues. Some prefer large gatherings while others look for a more personal connection, so we are setting up the community conversations and Chat with the Chief to accommodate both,†Harteau remarked.
These new initiatives result from consultations with Chief Harteau’s Citizen’s Advisory Council and a variety of community members, as well as conversations between Chief Harteau and Mayor Hodges.
“I support Chief Harteau and share her commitment to community policing, MPD 2.0 and the people of Minneapolis,†Mayor Hodges said. “I appreciate the feedback that I have gotten from the community since last week’s listening session, and Chief Harteau and I have used it as we have moved forward on putting together this plan.
“This work is hard, and through it all, I remain who I am: the mayor committed to closing our gaps, building relationships, and making Minneapolis a great city for everyone. I will not waiver from this commitment,†Mayor Hodges concluded.