INVESTING IN
REAL SAFETY
FOR EVERYONE
We need to continue to expand our safety response services so when our neighbors call 911, they know they’re getting the right response at the right time.
When Eastsiders call the city for help, we should always get the help we need.
Our police force is both fully funded and received historic pay raises, yet many of our alternate response units fight for scraps in our city’s annual budget. We need to invest in these programs, the same way we invested in our police force, because we’ve heard loud and clear that even at full funding, the police cannot be responsible for every emergency response need.
Here are my current priorities:
Expanding alternative responses to police
Elliott first ran for City Council to ensure the development of alternatives to police, which he started working on initially at the Office of Performance and Innovation, would be successfully implemented. The Behavioral Crisis Response, the City’s dedicated mental health response, is a reflection of those efforts and is a resounding success. As we expand our public safety alternatives, Elliott will continue to invest in the BCR as well as work to create even more alternative public safety response units.
Implementing the Cultural District Safety Ambassador Program along Central Ave
Elliott amended to 2024 City Budget to include 3 million dollars for the connumity safety ambassador program in the city’s seven Cultural Districts (West Broadway, Central Avenue, Cedar Avenue South, Franklin Avenue East, East Lake Street, 38th Street, and Lowry Avenue North) as well as Great Streets-eligible sections of Uptown, Dinkytown, and Mill District & East Hennepin. While the current administration has not yet implemented this, Elliott is committed to ensuring we have a visible public safety presence on Central Ave as soon as possible.
Strengthening civilian oversight of MPD
City Council passed the new Community Commission on Police Oversight (CCPO) in 2022. Elliott fought to strengthen our civilian oversight through a number of amendments to this ordinance. At the start of his current term, Elliott reopened this ordinance and is working with his colleagues on the council to ensure the CCPO has the power and necessary number of members required to effectively hold the police department accountable.
Opioid response
Harm reduction is an evidenced based public health response to the challenge of opioid abuse. In 2022 Elliott passed a legislative directive to expand the City’s opioid response, building on the work of our Health Department to develop a medication assisted therapy (MAT) program to support our neighbors struggling with opioid use disorder. Then in 2023, Elliott worked with his colleagues to pass a legislative directive to formally request the city’s Health Department develop and present a comprehensive opioid response program. The city staff presented this plan in 2024 and Elliott will continue to work with them to ensure concrete implementation steps are taken.
DOJ + MDHR response
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights found that MPD engaged in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act. After a full investigation, the Department of Justice similarly found a consistent pattern of civil rights violations. We are already bound by one settlement agreement and how the City moves forward will require a champion to implement policies that strengthen accountability, keeps people safe, and transforms our approach to policing.
Here are some of my accomplishments:
Continued expansion of the BCR Mental Health Response Team
Authored an amendment to the Mayor’s 2022 American Rescue Plan Proposal that moved money from the MPD budget in order to fund the acquisition of two new vans for the mobile response team.
Passed unanimously in council.
Creation of the Community Safety Ambassador Pilot
Elliott amended to 2024 City Budget to include $3 million dollars for the connumity safety ambassador program in the city’s seven Cultural Districts as well as Great Streets-eligible sections of Uptown, Dinkytown, Mill District & East Hennepin. Modeled after the Downtown Safety Ambassador program (DiD), this will establish a visible, unarmed public safety presence that collaborates with local businesses, residents, and police to address livability, addiction, and provide accessible resources for the community.
Authored legislative directive on Police Dept buyback contracts
Since taking office I’ve consistently voted against contracts proposed by neighborhoods or corporations to buy extra access to MPD officers. In 2022, my legislative directive passed unanimously, increasing transparency and enabling greater scrutiny. Since then, MPD has not signed any buyback contracts that give certain neighborhoods more police presence than others.
Amended City’s IGR agenda
Amended the city’s agenda to lobby the state legislature for a ban on no knock warrants, changes to the body camera footage release policy, and change to make sure officer disciplinary records are public and follow them throughout their career.