Council advances Minneapolis community safety commissioner nominee
Hennepin County Chief Judge Toddrick Barnette, nominee for Minneapolis Community Safety commissioner, sits down for an interview Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (KSTP)
The Minneapolis Office of Community Safety is one step closer to having a new head.
Tuesday, the Minneapolis City Council’s Committee of the Whole advanced Mayor Jacob Frey’s nominee for commissioner, Hennepin County Chief Judge Todd Barnette. That will now go to the full council on Thursday.
After hearing from members of the public, Barnette talked a bit about his vision for the community safety office and then answered some questions from council members. The committee then overwhelmingly voted to advance his nomination to the full council, with only Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley opposing.
Barnette told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS earlier this month that he’s already been meeting with the 911, emergency management, police, violence prevention and fire department heads as he works to understand the pressing public safety issues facing the city.
He’s now expected to be formally approved by the full council on Thursday to replace the office’s former commissioner, Cedric Alexander, who retired at the start of September.