Minneapolis Mayor Frey re-proposes Minnahaha Ave. site for new MPD 3rd Precinct location
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says he is now proposing a new location for the Minneapolis Police Department's 3rd precinct.
That part of the city has been without a precinct since the original building was burned during the George Floyd riots in 2020.
Since then, Frey says he and his staff have offered up close to 30 locations for a new precinct, many of which have been rejected by city councilmembers.
At a cost of $14 million, Frey believes the site at 2633 Minnnehaha Avenue is the most cost-effective location, and he hopes councilmembers see it the same way.
"This very site was put forward three years ago and was tanked by a combination of the council and the owner getting threats to both he and his family, so he pulled out of the deal entirely. It's back on the table. We are glad he is working with us towards a resolution ," Frey said, "I'm hoping the dynamics have changed enough for the right decision that it is. I thought it was the right decision then, or at least a good decision then. It's still a good decision now. ... The site is cheaper, it can get put up faster, it's just right."
Frey says he'll ask the council to act on this site on Tuesday, but that plan may not be that easy. Councilmember Robin Wonsley and others have stated that they are against a new 3rd precinct location when there is no comprehensive plan for public safety in place, calling such a decision "reactive and fiscally irresponsible."
Frey said he's offered to make the decision himself to take the heat off councilmembers. He said officers need a place to work, and community members need access to a police precinct closer to home. He said he knows any decision will come with some opposition.
"We are at the point now where it's time. It's time to bring the saga to a close. We've got a choice that's just right, let's do this," Frey said.
If approved, Frey says officers could be working out of the new precinct within the next year.
Less than two weeks ago, the city council delayed action on a new plan for the police station. Those who tabled the decision said they would vote on the plan on Oct. 31. But that didn't ease the frustrations of some other members, who said taking more than three years to determine a path forward is too long.
"What I hear from my constituents frequently and loudly is make a decision. We deserve public safety. We deserve to have a precinct that is responsive to our needs," Council President Andrea Jenkins said, at the time.
Any new facility must be located within the precinct's borders.
