Minneapolis City Council approves eliminating Office of Community Safety

Minneapolis City Council approves eliminating Office of Community Safety By KSTP The Minneapolis City Council ended the Office of Community Safety (OCS) on Thursday, with members arguing the agency had not delivered results worth the cost.The council voted 9-4 after some members said the office did not improve oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department, including concerns about overspending.RELATED: Minneapolis leaders stand by Office of Community Safety as debate to end it growsSome council members said “restructuring” would reduce bureaucracy and save taxpayers money.The department was created in 2022 to oversee five departments: police, fire, 911, emergency services, and neighborhood safety. The future oversight of those departments remains unclear. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is working to learn more.RELATED: Mayor pushing back on calls to end controversial Minneapolis departmentMeanwhile, Mayor Jacob Frey has opposed eliminating the office. Frey said the office helps coordinate mental health response, violence prevention, and police reform efforts.Other Minneapolis leaders have also pointed to shorter emergency response times as evidence that the department has improved public safety efforts.If Frey vetoes the measure, the council will need nine votes to override it.