Toddrick Barnette reflects on first year as Minneapolis' community safety commissioner
MINNEAPOLIS — The leader of community safety in Minneapolis has been on the job for just over a year now.
When Toddrick Barnette was sworn in last October, he promised to be transparent and listen to the needs of the community. WCCO's Reg Chapman met up with him in the heart of north Minneapolis to see how he's doing on that promise.
Barnette says he feels right at home in spaces where he can interact with the community. He believes his job centers around listening.
"Getting community input and understand what does the community need, instead of us telling community what they want," said Barnette.
Barnette has 30 years of public safety and legal experience. He was the first person of color to be named chief judge in Hennepin County.
He gave that all up to serve as the city's second commissioner of community safety.
"Every time you engage community you learn something, and things always change, "Barnette said.
His focus: Making sure there is a foundation for sustainability, reform, transparency and change.
Barnette has five agencies under his command: police, fire, EMS, 911 and neighborhood safety.
"The work that we do is beyond our five departments, it's the whole enterprise. Community trust, trust with other city departments, trust with the county, trust with the state, trust with the council. Trying to move in some spaces that are very political," Barnette said.
Barnette says creating collaborations with 311, the health department and social services is crucial in getting resources where they are needed most.
"People want a non-police response where it's appropriate and there has not been enough focus on that work. I mean, we are doing that work, but I think people will see that road map," Barnette said.
He knows this work does not come without challenges.
"When we look at homelessness and we look at our encampments, we really have to deal with some of the core issues that are going on in there. We need to go after the folks that are preying on these individuals. We need to go after the drug dealers. We need to go after those people who want to traffick, sex trafficking," said Barnette.
He also believes dealing with the increase in juvenile crime will be one of the toughest issues his office will face.
"When they are committing more serious crime, we have to really make them accountable," said Barnette.
Overall, Barnette is encouraged by all that is being done in just his first year as commissioner of community safety.
Barnette is also working with 70 or more organizations that contract with the city that provide neighborhood safety.
He is working to make sure their work is data-driven and they are doing the things they are contracted to do.
