Hennepin County may take over some of Minneapolis' violence prevention programs
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis City Council members met Monday afternoon to discuss moving $1.125 million to Hennepin County to temporarily take over some of the city's violence prevention programs.
The county would handle the city's Group Violence Intervention and Youth Group Violence Intervention programs for the remainder of 2025. These programs work by identifying the most at-risk individuals in the community who are likely to commit or be a victim of violence, with the goal of reducing homicides and gun violence.
"Today we are taking unprecedented action to address unprecedented times," said Council Member Jason Chavez.
A group of council members, including Chavez, said the violence prevention programs have fallen far below expectations over the past two years.
"Two years worth of attempting to get corrective action and seeing Minneapolis experience an increase in homicides," said Council Member Robin Wonsley.
Wonsley said she hopes the temporary transfer of services to the county will give the city the time and space it needs to use city data to figure out how to best deploy the programs.
Rev. Jerry McAfee leads 21 Days of Peace, a coalition of violence interrupters who gather at crime hotspots in Minneapolis with the goal of diffusing violence. He was very outspoken, interrupting Monday's meeting. His organization does not fall under either of the Group Violence Intervention or Youth Group Violence programs.
"Let's talk about it on the real. Don't come in the office, come on the block where we at, where those of us who are doing the real work can help navigate you through it," said McAfee.
Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette says his office was "completely blindsided" by the announcement. He says moving services to the county would cause a disruption.
"Mischaracterization of the problem that doesn't exist has to stop. These services are in fact the cornerstone of neighborhood safety," said Barnette.
The council voted Monday to forward the issue to Thursday's full city council meeting.
Should this get approved, Wonsley said a transition plan would be worked out to avoid disruption of services.
