At its February 24, 2020 meeting, the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) unanimously approved a resolution to fund a police safety center on Second Street South in the Mill District. Working with Sherman Associates, owner
and developer of The Vicinity, and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), Joe Tamburino, former chair of the DMNA, worked over several years to make the police safety center a reality.
The DMNA will be signing a five-year license giving the MPD’s Homeless Initiative officers a base of operations. It is hoped that having the safety center in the neighborhood will assist with local outreach and provide an enhanced police presence in the neighborhood. The safety center will be available for use by any licensed Minnesota peace/police officer.
Pam McCrea, chair of the DMNA, applauded the work that went into making the safety center happen with “special thanks to Joe Tamburino who took the leadership and never dropped the ball.” Steve Fletcher, city council member and neighborhood resident, when asked about the safety center, noted that the anticipated use of the space would put eyes on the street without drawing resources away from higher priority tasks.