After decades of mistrust between the Minneapolis Police Department and the community, the City Council is investing in alternative violence prevention initiatives. On March 27 the Council approved funding for five organizations: Restoration, Inc. and A Mother’s Love, which provide services on the North Side of Minneapolis; and T.O.U.C.H. Outreach, Sabathani Community Center, and MAD Dads serving the South Side.
The Council also approved a proposal by Councilmember Jamal Osman to move $640,000 from public safety funds to support violence prevention efforts in the Cedar Riverside and Elliot Park neighborhoods. However, these funding decisions follow weeks of debate, particularly concerning the loss of service in Zone 2, a Northside area that includes the historically high-need intersection of 36th and Penn.
Weeks earlier, Rev. Jerry McAfee’s nonprofit, 21 Days of Peace, had its funding request pulled after two of its members were involved in a shootout off-the-clock. The sudden removal of 21 Days of Peace left Zone 2 without a dedicated violence prevention group, raising concerns among residents and local leaders about potential gaps in service…