Overview
- City leaders announced Tuesday that Uptown will get eight city-employed Community Safety Ambassadors in November, funded by $1 million already set aside for the program.
- The ambassadors are not police and carry no weapons, focusing on safety escorts, wellness checks, basic first aid, business check-ins, resource referrals, and help filing reports.
- Minneapolis police have run a Fifth Precinct directed patrol in Uptown since late 2025 to target drug use and livability issues that drove complaints and hurt nearby businesses.
- Police Chief Brian O’Hara said narcotics-related complaints fell sharply in April and repeat individuals are fewer, which he credited to the combined outreach and patrol strategy.
- City data show most current ambassador contacts on Lake Street and Franklin are business checks, local surveys report strong support, and groups like Uptown United say conditions look better though more work remains.