Community Safety Ambassadors

We work to keep our communities safe and vibrant.

Request for Proposals (RFP) open now

Community organizations can submit a proposal to participate in the pilot program. Learn more and view the full RFP in the City's eSupplier portal. All proposals must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on Dec. 19, 2024.

We serve our neighborhoods with care and compassion

The Community Safety Ambassador pilot program is a new neighborhood safety resource.

Safety ambassadors will:

  • Be a friendly, visible, and welcoming presence
  • Share information about special events, businesses, and services located in the district
  • Offer support to help people with wellness concerns
  • Report hazards or emergencies
  • Check-in with local businesses
  • Connect with community to build trust, calm tensions, and prevent violence

The pilot program will first focus on the areas of E. Lake St. and E. Franklin Ave.

A friendly safety ambassador smiling at a community member. Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID).

What they do

  • Serve as a safety escort to walk with you to your destination in the district boundaries
  • Connect you to social services, City services, or other resources
  • Help you file a public safety-related report
  • Provide basic first aid or CPR, including opioid overdose medicine such as Narcan
  • Do wellness checks on people in public spaces
  • Offer outreach to connect and inform the public about events, services or businesses

What they do not do

  • Provide law enforcement services
  • Carry weapons
  • Respond directly to 911 calls
  • Provide transportation

How the program will work

Community Safety Ambassadors will wear bright and visible uniforms. You will see them patrolling the areas of E. Lake St. and E. Franklin Ave.

They can also be dispatched to address safety concerns or assist with other issues. 

The pilot program will launch in Spring 2025.

Safety Ambassadors will provide services, five days per week. They will typically serve during daylight hours.

Where they will be

E. Lake St. Cultural District

They will patrol the E. Lake St. cultural district boundaries, as well as the corridor along Stevens Ave. to Cedar Ave. S.

View a map of the E. Lake St. patrol area

E. Franklin Ave. Cultural District

They will patrol the E. Franklin Ave. cultural district boundaries, as well as the corridor along 5th Ave. S. to 21st Ave. S.

View a map of the E. Franklin Ave. patrol area

An aerial image of a Metro Transit bus on a red bus lane along East Lake Street

 

Contact us

 

Neighborhood Safety

Address

250 Fourth St S, Room 110
Minneapolis, MN 55415